Ben Siegel Troubles

I have no experience dealing with Ben, but I wanted to add another voice of support. I hope he gets the treatment and support he needs, and soon. I have a family member who had schizoaffective disorder, and I don't like to think of where she might be without the unhesitating love and support of her family and friends.

I've always been warmed by how the reptile community can rally behind one of their own who needs help, and I've seen some truly touching things happen on this site and others when one of our own hit a rough patch in life and needed a little extra love. It saddens me more than I can express to see the community kicking Ben when he is down like this.

Cathrine, we aren't all kicking him here. I know that he is taking a proverbial beating in other social media places, but here, it seems like the majority feel like this was a psychotic episode and hope he gets the help he needs.

Originally Posted by rosebud945

Cathrine, we aren't all kicking him here. I know that he is taking a proverbial beating in other social media places, but here, it seems like the majority feel like this was a psychotic episode and hope he gets the help he needs.

True! This thread has been much more encouraging than all the trash I've seen on FB.

I didn't read through the other 18 pages so this may have been mentioned, but anyone else see the drug charges? I think theres more to him acting crazy then just being bi-polar.

Originally Posted by Keys & Kritterz

I didn't read through the other 18 pages so this may have been mentioned, but anyone else see the drug charges? I think theres more to him acting crazy then just being bi-polar.

Many people with mental illness self medicate with illicit drugs or alcohol.
While im certainly not trying to make excuses for his actions, one must take into account the entirety of what he is going through instead of picking out bits and pieces.

Originally Posted by NocturnalNature

Many people with mental illness self medicate with illicit drugs or alcohol.
While im certainly not trying to make excuses for his actions, one must take into account the entirety of what he is going through instead of picking out bits and pieces.

Very true, there's a reason that mental health work and substance abuse work are usually done by the same organization. Substance abuse and mental health cannot be viewed separately. Even if a person with severe mental illness is not using illicit substances to self-medicate, they are often on benzodiazepines or another addictive substance through their provider. It's very rare for someone with significant mental health challenges to be living totally sober. I try not to judge this as a person without these challenges cannot begin to comprehend how much they struggle inside their own head and what it would be like to have that struggle.

Originally Posted by rosebud945

I know that he is taking a proverbial beating in other social media places, but here, it seems like the majority feel like this was a psychotic episode and hope he gets the help he needs.

Want to know why?
They attack him on facebook because they could easily delete their posts and say "oh I supported him all along".

Here they are scared to put their true feelings because it will be up forever to everyone showing their true nature.

In other words they want to be rear end holes, but they don't want everyone to see and have it stay up forever.

turtle man, and I use the term very loosely, not only need to learn how to for sentences and paragraphs, he REALLY needs a vocabulary lesson. I'd say he needs a dictionary, but I'm not sure from reading his ramblings that he'd be able to use it.

Ben broke. Not for the first time. Those of us who have seen this type of break in person, along with those who have more than a smattering of empathy, know how not in control people are when they, well, nut up.

It's easy to hit a man when he's down. It's not so easy to help him back up. turtle man seems the type to offer a boot not a hand. Makes me glad I don't live in NY.

I don't want him back up. I want him in a medical ward where they can pump him full of all the happy whatevers (I don't know from psych drugs, sorry) he won't take himself and where he can't sling animals at people. Keep the business open if you want to, but dude should be somewhere where he can't hurt himself or others.

And I say that compassionately, not angrily. He's got a nice long list of people he's hurt and terrified at this point. It doesn't need to get any bigger for his sake and for others' sakes.

Is there even any new information as to a trial or him getting medical help? The news reports the bad but had anyone said anything regarding this since?