Christine Brown, star of the reality show Sister Wives, has opened up about her past addiction to painkillers. The 53-year-old, who appears on TLC with her ex-husband Kody Brown and their polygamist family, disclosed in her new memoir that she began taking oxycodone in 2016 following knee surgery.
In her book, Sister Wife: A Memoir of Faith, Family, and Finding Freedom, Brown wrote that she had never taken such a strong drug before, relying only on ibuprofen or aspirin for pain. After surgery, she took the prescribed medication and experienced a high that made her feel she could do anything. However, the high was short-lived, and she soon felt sad and focused on taking more.
Two weeks into her addiction, Maddie Brown, daughter of Kody's former wife Janelle, confronted Christine, telling her she was a 'mess' and that her family missed her. Christine then told Kody about her addiction and began breaking the pills in half, giving half to her daughter Aspyn. Eventually, she stopped taking oxycodone altogether, spending a weekend in bed sobbing while her mother cared for her.
Christine admitted she felt 'unbalanced' for six months after quitting and was angry she couldn't get the painkiller. She credited Maddie for helping her overcome the addiction. In an interview with People, she explained why she kept the struggle hidden from the show: 'It was absolutely devastating... I didn't feel normal. I didn't feel okay for so long.'
Christine and Kody were married for 28 years and had six children before splitting in 2021. She has since remarried. The 20th season of Sister Wives begins on September 28. Her memoir was released on September 2 in the US.
