Matt Brown Returns to ‘Alaskan Bush People’ After Rehab & Leaving

Matt Brown, the oldest child of Billy and Ami Brown, took time off from Alaskan Bush People for a few seasons after battling substance abuse issues. In December, however, news surfaced that Brown would be appearing once again on the Discovery Channel show.

Read on to learn about Brown’s experience in rehab while battling substance abuse.

Brown Entered Rehab for Alcohol Addiction in 2016

According to Distractify, the reality star first entered rehab for alcohol addiction in 2016.

In an interview with People, Brown explained, “I could see myself spiraling.” He admitted that he started spending more time with friends drinking, and he became “more withdrawn. I was slower. Things didn’t excite me the way they used to.”

In the same interview, Brown explained that he first turned to alcohol after his family’s boat broke down and he started spending more time in Juneau. “I’ve always been able to handle city life, no problem,” Brown said. “But I started hanging out with people who drank. They didn’t have a problem with it so while I was around them, I started drinking. I started drinking lightly and then it got to be more and more,” he explained. “That’s when I saw the problem around the corner, and I didn’t want to be one of those guys.”

In Spring 2016, Brown decided to enter an in-patient rehab center for 35 days.

He Struggled to Open up to His Family About His Addiction

Brown tells People he struggled to open up to his family about his drinking problems.

“There was a lot of anxiety. It took a couple of days to work up the guts to tell my parents,” he said. “But their support was unbelievable. It instantly made me feel better and like I could be successful on this journey.”

Reflecting on his days in rehab, he said, “I learned a lot about myself in those 35 days. I’ve turned my weakness into a strength. In life, we all get lost every now and then and have to find our way back. Not everyone makes it back, and I’m happy to be one of those who did.”

According to The Sun, Brown returned to inpatient and outpatient rehab in January 2019, and seems to be doing well.

In September 2019, Brown updated fans about his sobriety on Instagram in a post that read, “A year and almost 2 month’s ago, I started out on a quest of self-understanding, and awareness, to find a better way of existing in the world. It has forever changed my life for the better 🙂 This coin is a reminder, Never give up! Never surrender!”

These days, according to his Instagram, he is living in California. He even started his own Youtube channel, which you can check out here.

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