Duck Dynasty's Si Robertson Opens Up About Alcohol Abuse and Family Hardship

Right now, the Robertson family of A&E's smash hit series Duck Dynasty is on top of the world, as they star in cable TV's most-watched reality show. But it wasn't always that way—Si Robertson, Dynasty patriarch Phil Robertson's brother, has opened up about family struggles and his history with alcohol abuse in his new memoir, Si-cology: Tales and Wisdom from Duck Dynasty’s Favorite Uncle.

New details from the book reported by RadarOnline surfaced this week—see four surprising revelations from Si's memoir, below:

1. Si and Phil's mother suffered from mental health problems.
When Si and Phil were both young boys, their mother “suffered a nervous breakdown and was diagnosed as manic-depressive,” the 65-year-old wrote. “She spent a lot of time in hospitals and the state mental institution.” Si also wrote that his own mind is “faulty.”

2. While serving in Vietnam, Si turned to alcohol.
“Although I was there for only one year, it was a really difficult time in my life,” Si wrote. "Believe me, it was easy to find a drink in Can Tho if you wanted one... You could find a drink and a girl whenever you wanted for the right price." The stress of military life in Vietnam drove Si to drink, he said. "It was the only time in my life when I drank heavily... 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.”

3. When he returned from service, Si stopped drinking.
“I drank so much beer and whiskey in Vietnam that I decided I would quit drinking alcohol altogether once I returned home,” Si wrote. “I saw what alcohol was doing to me in Vietnam and realized I needed to stop for good.” Now, the eccentric, story-telling uncle is known for drinking two gallons of tea per day, a habit that he told Parade his doctor endorses: "He said I’ve probably got the cleanest kidneys in the world!"

4. Si's son Scott had a troubled childhood.
Si and his wife Christine's son, Scott, was born almost two months premature and “was trouble before he was even born,” Si wrote. “Scott was suicidal from the time he was about five years old. His behavior was really erratic as a child. When Scott would get tired, he would throw his arms out and fall backward... When Scott was angry, he was out of control and did a lot of damage.” Eventually, Scott was diagnosed with Asperger's syndrome and now leads a happy, healthy life. “It took me a while to realize Scott needed help,” Si wrote.

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