Matt Willis -Facing Addiction

[MrsPelligrinoPetrichor]

Anyone else watch this, it was really good? It's on iPlayer.

I had no idea how many times he'd relapsed,poor bloke. Can't help thinking going on tour probably isn't a good idea, hope he's going to be ok. With the best will in the world being in a situation where you used all the time is going to be massively triggering.

I've never really liked Emma , always thought she was a bit fake, totally changed my mind , she's clearly been slapping a smile on her face and keeping the family together.

So much respect for both of them for being so open and transparent.

And being completely shallow Matt is completely rocking the beard !

He clearly is into fitness now and they are vitamin supplements, nothing more than that. It was just to highlight how he takes care of himself now I suppose and what he does to stay on track.

Did you leave or did he?

More Sam Smith imo

We don’t always just “walk away”.

sometimes after years of being lied to , events cancelled , children being let down, savings drained , people knocking on our doors …
we leave because WE deserve a life too.

im sorry you suffer with addiction , I truly am it is evil but sometimes as a parent we have to make our children the centre of our universe not the addict.

Touring is his nemesis but says he's still going on it . He's very self indulgent . If he does tour , I think it will be his downfall and hopefully , Emma will see the light .

We didn't hear much about his childhood apart from the abusive stepfather after his parents divorced . Maybe a lot of his angst stems from when he was young . We hardly heard anything about his mother or father and he met his brother after four years' absence , which wasn't explained .

I think the whole point is that his childhood was so abusive and traumatic he can't talk about it/ deal with it as he can't remember it.

I'm no expert, but I think facing up to that and unlocking the memories he's locked away will help him and his own family.

Yes exactly, he should be booking himself in for some heavy duty counselling and family therapy not going on tour!

He may well have behaved really badly with his brother, which is why they haven't met. Also, it could be very difficult for two people who are traumatised as children to get on together as adults. There could be a lot of resentment.

I thought it was a good watch but agree with others that he will never deal with his addiction until he deals with the root cause which is his childhood trauma, as in the adverse childhood experiences the Dr discussed. The addiction is the by product of that. I think he mentioned at the end he was ready now to go there so hopefully he has done it before going on tour because I would also be concerned about his strength to stay clean. I do not envy the anxiety and stress Emma will be feeling. I always liked her and like her even more now but she does need counselling herself she mentioned she has never really talked to anyone about it which is scary to think it is all bottled up inside.

I had read an article about the programme and was sure it mentioned that Matt had acknowledged his privilege in affording the best rehab care and therapy and that very few addicts are so lucky and do not get the access to the right support and things spiral. It wasn't covered though in the programme which I was disappointed about because addiction services are so underfunded and so many people can not get access to them. I have worked with addicts before in a residential rehab centre for women. The biggest fear these women have is leaving the facility and going back to their own areas and old lives because they know that they will struggle to stay clean there. Many try to build new lives somewhere completely different but it is not easy. I think Matt is naive going on tour when he knows it is a trigger for relapse

Definitely and I'm surprised nobody has pointed him in that direction as it probably wouldn't have occurred to him .

Matt came across as a typical addict - it was all about him and his addiction. His brother looked broken but he hadn't seen him for 4 years - wonder how he felt about suddenly being contacted about the documentary. He still seems to think about himself as 'that famous guy from busted'. When they were all having breakfast together - it looked really staged which is very sad. The most thoughtful and illuminating piece was the support group. However I think that both Matt and Emma thought 'this is hard but it isn't us' - the fame and the money making them different. Emma looked exhausted.

She was nobody before she was with him, her career is carved out of being Matt Willis wife. So now because he’s having problems she should dump him. Player!

Wasn’t Emma a successful model and presenter on MTV or something like that before she met Matt…

I actually think that most people (who didn't follow Busted) think of Matt as 'Mr Emma Willis'.

I also think the fact that Emma portrays them all as a lovely happy family and films all the nurturing 'Midwife' programmes is the reason the TV companies were interested - nothing to do with Matt.

Just caught up on this.
It was a bit of an uncomfortable watch.
Of course I do have sympathies with Matt but feel he needs to do more to help himself. Therapy for his childhood and not going on tour for a start! The latter will inevitably give him access to drink & drugs (can't believe Charlie is having alcohol in his rider) and feel this could be Matt's next relapse.
Emma will be worried sick the whole time he is away. I feel for her the most- and the poor kids.

Matt was the more famous one when they met and Emma was an up and coming TV presenter/model but most people has no idea who she was. Obviously she's the more famous one now and always presenting something on TV.

I've not heard of this so I might have to give it a watch. I don't really know much about him but I've always liked her and think she's super pretty plus she always comes across as nice and smart. How she's coped with him all these years is beyond me. And he might be younger than her but he looks years older. The drugs and booze have taken their toll.

As the child of an addict it brought back horrible memories for me. The constant anxiety and questions, where is he, what's he doing, will he make it back in one piece? I don't know how Emma can live like that, it's absolutely soul destroying and no matter how well you think you are protecting your children, they will be aware of the ongoing stress in the household.

The fact he went into rehab when they had only been together 3 months would have had me running for the hills.

I think that Emma has done enough to stand in her own two feet now and to no longer be “the wife of Matt Willis”. It’s time for her to look after herself and the best interests of their children. There’s nothing brave about “being there” for him. His background story may be really sad but that doesn’t entitle him to ruin the lives of his wife and children. As the ex-wife of an alcoholic, I know how desperately you try to hold it altogether and hope for a happy ending but there comes a time when you have to say “enough now” and walk away. It was the best & bravest decision I ever made. I wish Emma well and hope that she finds her way out soon before more damage is done.

I remember that Emma was keen to get married and start a family as she had turned 30. For someone who seems so sensible she must have been desperate to go ahead with the the wedding with Matt in rehab during the run-up to the day. Watching her reading the diary of his use during this time was pitiful. The stress of living with the possibility of his relapse is showing on her face, and her hair which looked dreadful. I really like Emma, she seems genuine and hardworking, but there must be some underlying reason she feels that this is what she deserves.

Didn't the therapist at the Tavistock do that?

I felt terribly sorry for Emma, her pain was palpable. She just looked completely broken. I understand completely how she feels. It's horrific living with an addict.
I still don't believe Matt has any idea of the magnitude of shit he has put her and his kids through. Typical addict though, they rarely do.

I wish we had an edit button . I wrote it arse about face and should obviously have been I'm NOT surprised that someone etc etc .