AFL great Ben Cousins and Olympic swimmer Scott Miller have spoken publicly about their battles with addiction and their journeys toward recovery. The two athletes shared their experiences during a recent interview on Nova 100, where they discussed their work as ambassadors for the BEACON Community & Sporting Wellbeing Programme.
This initiative aims to provide education on mental health and substance abuse awareness through local communities and sports clubs. Cousins and Miller are drawing on their personal struggles to help others identify warning signs and seek support.
Cousins, a Brownlow medallist and premiership player, admitted that his public profile made it difficult to seek help, leading him to live a "double life" to hide the extent of his addiction. "I probably felt I was in a position to need help, but didn't think that I could follow through with it," he stated. He described keeping his addiction a secret, which he felt ashamed of, and the eventual unraveling of his life.
He urged others not to wait until their problems become overwhelming, emphasizing that there is "no shame in asking for some help or support." Cousins also highlighted the importance of accepting past events and focusing on present opportunities for rebuilding one's life.
Miller recounted the surprising sense of relief he felt upon being arrested and placed in a police vehicle. "The moment for me was obviously in the being arrested and being in the back of the paddy wagon and having a huge feeling of relief, which was a really confronting and amazing feeling to have," he said. He added, "Honestly, I felt like thank God I've been stopped because I couldn't stop myself."
During his time in custody, Miller reflected on the painful thought of his aging parents potentially dying while he was incarcerated. He is now caring for his parents and has re-entered competitive swimming at the Masters level after a 15-year hiatus, describing the experience as "very healing and cathartic."
Cousins has also found a connection to his past through his television work with Seven, viewing it as a vital part of his recovery. "For a long time, when I wasn't going well, very easy for me to isolate and not put myself in those situations very much at all," he said.
Both athletes expressed that their experiences, while difficult, now allow them to contribute and offer support to others. Cousins stated that while his past is known, his current life is vastly different from the desperation he once faced. He also shared that he has found a greater sense of sustained happiness in his life now than ever before.
Through the BEACON program, Cousins and Miller plan to visit sporting clubs and communities to share their stories and help connect individuals with professional treatment and recovery services.