Duck Dynasty’s Si Robertson Opens Up About Mental Illness And Suicide In The Family

Si Robertson of A&E network’s "Duck Dynasty," which is currently in its fourth season, has revealed dark secrets of the Robertson family in a new tell-all book, stating that alcoholism, mental illness and suicide have plagued his family.

The book is titled “Si-cology: Tales and Wisdom from Duck Dynasty’s Favorite Uncle” where Si elaborated on the hardships he and his brother, Phil Robertson, suffered before they found fame with the reality show, Duck Dynasty.

The show first aired on March 21, 2012, and according to reports, "Duck Dynasty" has broken several ratings records on A&E.

Si wrote, according to Radar Online, that during their childhood, the brothers had to deal with a mother who “suffered a nervous breakdown and was diagnosed as manic-depressive,” and quickly adds that his own brain is “faulty.”

The 65-year-old details his struggles with alcoholism saying that he found solace in drinking while serving in Vietnam, and on two separate incidents, he was close to killing two innocent people.

“It was the only time in my life when I drank heavily,” Si wrote. “I was largely drinking to forget where I was. When you’re in a place like Vietnam, you get to a point where you don’t care any more. You’re in a place that’s foreign to you, and you know for a fact that many people there hate you and will kill you if they get the chance. It really does something to your mind to know that many of the people living around you don’t like you and want you to die.”

But, when he came back home, Si decided to quit drinking, writing, “I saw what alcohol was doing to me.”

In the book, Si dishes out about Phil’s alcohol addiction, and stated that his brother was not a good person till he turned to religion. “But he repented his sins and is sharing the rest of his life sharing God’s Word.”

Si also wrote about his son, Scott, who was born premature in 1977 and “was trouble before he was even born." According to his father, Scott has been suicidal since the age of five, and the family realized he required medical help only when his mother caught him trying to jump out of a second-story window at the age of 11. Scott was later diagnosed with Asperger’s syndrome.