Matt Brown has taken the first step in his hopeful path to recovery.
The Alaskan Bush People star has admitted he needs help.
Speaking to People Magazine, the Discovery Channel personality says he is checking into rehab for the second time in order to receive assistance for a dependency on alcohol.
“I struggle with substance abuse, and after a year of ups and downs, I decided to return to treatment,” the oldest Brown son tells the publication in this week’s issue.
He adds:
“I’m really grateful for everyone’s support and hope to have my life back on track soon.”
The reality star first entered a treatment facility of this nature in the spring of 2016.
What made him realize that he had to try again and that he had to turn his life around?
“I could see myself spiraling,” Brown explains, acknowledging that he had been spending more and more time drinking over the previous year.
“I was more withdrawn. I was slower. Things didn’t excite me the way they used to.”
On a recent episode of Alaskan Bush People, Matt got injured while helping to build the family’s new residence.
Overall, meanwhile, the Browns have been through a whole lot over the past two years; most notably, of course, the loved ones have been dealing with matriarch Ami’s very serious lung cancer diagnosis.
It was believeed for awhile that Ami would not survive the Stage 4 illness, but she remains a major part of the series and of the family.
Due to her need for medical care, however, the Browns have left Alaska and settled in rural Washington.
Now, they’ll be without Matt for an unspecified period of time.
(It’s unclear at the moment just where Matt will receive treatment and for how long he will be there.)
“It’s hard not having one of my babies here with us,” says Ami, who is now cancer-free, yet has been informed she should undergo tests every three months for the rest of her life.
“He was so strong for me, and I want to be strong for him,” she adds to People.
“We miss him terribly, but we’d rather lose him from home for a little while than lose him forever,” dad Billy says.
“We just want him to do what he needs to do to get better.”
Amen.
We send Matt our very best wishes.
Alaskan Bush People airs Sunday at 9/8c on Discovery.
