Matt Willis opened up in new documentary Fighting Addiction, looking back on his life and childhood to try and understand his troubles with addiction.
Matt admitted that he relapsed five years ago, the last time his band Busted went on tour. Before the band goes on tour later this year – with temptation once again at hand – Matt embarked on this journey to better understand his troubles with addiction. As I watched the documentary, I was so impressed with Matt’s honesty about his addiction, relapse, and determination to stay clean and sober.
I, along with millions of other people in the UK, have seen people I love struggle with addiction. I was saddened to see so many people make shocking comments about Matt’s documentary. The aim of the film was for Matt to understand his addiction better, and hopefully help other people to open up and help themselves. But some people seem to have missed the whole point.
Matt Willis documentary: He isn’t ‘selfish’ – if you think he is you’ve missed the point
As I watched the documentary, I was so impressed with how open Matt was. He admitted he hadn’t seen his brother in almost four years, and opened up about “violence” under his stepfather. He was honest that he previously lied to therapists and confessed “so much shame” about his relapse when his youngest daughter was just a baby.
But so many comments on social media called Matt selfish and said his presenter wife Emma should leave him. One person said: “Watching Matt Willis’ Fighting Addiction and I’m very disappointed. Too much about himself, talking about the tour, not a lot about fighting addiction.” Another person agreed: “It’s an advert, I was thinking the exact same.” A third person said: “It shows again how little compassion addicts have for the people in their environment. Addiction makes one so self-centred.”
Did we watch the same documentary? Matt literally went to a brain study to understand how addiction affects the brain! He went and spoke to other addicts to hear their stories! I can’t understand how you’d think Matt wasn’t going to talk about himself and his past when talking about fighting addiction. His life experiences are obviously part of the explanation for why he has struggled so badly with addiction to alcohol and drugs.
While the vast majority of people agreed that the documentary was raw, powerful and important, too many people still don’t get it. And it’s so disappointing to witness.
You don’t get to judge Emma Willis either
“It’s not that they won’t, they physically can’t.” That’s what Emma Willis said at the start of the documentary when talking about addicts who need help. Addiction affects the brain in ways we still don’t really understand. Emma later admitted she never went to a support group, and when she watched children of addicts break down over their experiences, she said she wanted to do everything she could to support Matt for her own kids.
Watching Emma support the man she has loved for so many years does show so much strength and has really made me admire her. If you’ve never had addiction affect you or anyone in your life, you’re very lucky. But you definitely don’t get to judge the people who have. One person tweeted: “I’m not even five minutes into Matt Willis’ Fighting Addiction and I’ve no idea how or why Emma Willis has put up with him.” Another person said: “Emma is one strong woman for having put up with all of it.”
To me, it’s so obvious that Emma really loves Matt. You’re right when you say she is strong for supporting him in his addiction over the years. And it’s not like Matt isn’t trying to stay clean either, that’s exactly what the documentary is about. Implying that Emma should just walk away and leave him is so unfair. I can’t understand anyone who watched the documentary and came to that conclusion.
Matt Willis documentary: We need more people to open up
Fighting Addiction is so important. It’s not often that public figures are so open about their struggles. And after seeing some comments about Matt’s documentary, I can see why. But this documentary will mean so much to people struggling with alcohol and drugs, their partners, their children and their friends.
If we keep judging the people who are brave enough to open up – they just won’t do it anymore.
If we keep judging the people who are brave enough to open up, they just won’t do it anymore. And we need people to keep opening up. If you really thought that Matt was selfish, or only thinking about himself, you have a deep misunderstanding of addiction and this documentary. Matt should be commended for putting in the work to get better, and doing it on such a public platform – not judged.
Read more: Fighting Addiction star Matt Willis stunned by 13-year-old daughter’s reaction to his relapse
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