Comments on: Richard Jenson

Richard Jenson

thisisdrew — Mon, 04 Aug 2008 15:45:35 -0800

Getting Off The Mat - After losing 15 years of his life to drug addiction and prison, Richard Jensen was reborn as a 36-year-old college wrestler.

By: doctor_negative

doctor_negative — Mon, 04 Aug 2008 16:11:20 -0800

Cool story, I hope he can stay clean.

By: Eideteker

Eideteker — Mon, 04 Aug 2008 16:15:28 -0800

Ok, but how many 36-year-old colleges are out there?

By: Mr_Zero

Mr_Zero — Mon, 04 Aug 2008 16:30:29 -0800

So that is how the deck hands on "Deadliest Catch" work for 3 days straight. They even show crab cages in the video. Great story though.

By: maxwelton

maxwelton — Mon, 04 Aug 2008 16:40:24 -0800

Neat story. Always encouraging that a few people make it back.

By: Mr_Zero

Mr_Zero — Mon, 04 Aug 2008 17:04:45 -0800

Always encouraging that a few people make it back. Actually don't most make it back. I mean for all the people that try meth don't just a small percentage totally destroy their lives with it? Stats anyone?

By: DU

DU — Mon, 04 Aug 2008 17:08:10 -0800

When I get reborn, I'm going to start back at 0.

By: the-happy-manager

the-happy-manager — Mon, 04 Aug 2008 17:20:45 -0800

This is my first time on MeFi and I found this straight away, so how lucky am I! Great story with some very memorable images. Especially that whole idea of moving from darkness to light by finding a purpose.

By: dgaicun

dgaicun — Mon, 04 Aug 2008 17:29:51 -0800

He was a boozer, a user, and a loser, but now he's back in school. And though the faces may have changed, the wrastl'es are just the same.

By: Maisie Jay

Maisie Jay — Mon, 04 Aug 2008 18:18:39 -0800

Strangers With Candy: The College Years.

By: Alterscape

Alterscape — Mon, 04 Aug 2008 18:28:26 -0800

Cool story, but I found some of the closeups to be very heavy-handed. The moment where he speaks about being a monster and is shown in close-up, lit campfire-ghost-story/low-budget-horror-movie style induced a particularly strong cringe for me. Please, let's skip the cheap shots (pun intended).

By: Maias

Maias — Mon, 04 Aug 2008 19:02:44 -0800

Huge majority of meth users (as with most other drugs, excepting tobacco) try it once or twice and never do it again. About 10-20% of those who try it (roughly same for coke, heroin, and alcohol, 30% or so for tobacco) become addicted. Of the addicts, it's hard to say what proportion quit-- we know that with tobacco, the vast majority of those who quit do so without formal treatment, even though it is the most addictive drug in terms of capture rate of those who try. (These figures may be changing, however, with the limitations on smoking and the availability of nicotine replacement decreasing the capture rate and the quit without treatment rate respectively). We know that if you *do* go to treatment for almost any addiction, you are amongst the hardest cases and the odds of quitting the first time without relapsing are very low. We also know that there are lots of addicts out there who never get treatment and who quit at much better rates. The cynics say that this is because treatment does harm-- the truth is probably that some treatment does harm but more importantly, those who seek help are those who can't quit without it so treatment isn't making most people worse, it's just not helping the hard cases a huge amount. However, if measured by reduction in use (not cure on first go), treatment is quite successful -- it is as successful as treatment for other chronic illnesses like diabetes and high blood pressure. And, with repeated tries and with age, probably the majority even in treatment samples quit and a significant minority switch to mellower drugs like alcohol and another significant minorities dies.

By: BitterOldPunk

BitterOldPunk — Mon, 04 Aug 2008 22:04:20 -0800

Man, I am so blessed that I never had to face the horrors of meth addiction or college wrestling.

By: Senator

Senator — Mon, 04 Aug 2008 23:08:49 -0800

I always wondered what happened to Shute after Louden Swain beat him in high school.

By: psmealey

psmealey — Tue, 05 Aug 2008 00:39:28 -0800

Man, I am so blessed that I never had to face the horrors of meth addiction or college wrestling. Funny that both seem to cause unhealthy weight loss and bad teeth.

By: Halloween Jack

Halloween Jack — Tue, 05 Aug 2008 11:24:33 -0800

I'd like to start over at 13. Also, as a pretty, pretty girl.