Jamie Otis praises husband Doug Hehner for overcoming opioid addiction: 'Suffering alone in silence only amplifies the problems you have'
"My hubby's been completely off opioid addiction meds and has remained sober!," Otis said.
Jamie Otis is praising her husband Doug Hehner and his addiction recovery journey.
On Tuesday, the "Married at First Sight" alums returned to the reality show for a special 10-year reunion where Hehner discussed keeping his previous struggles with addiction private when he appeared on the show in 2014.
Otis shared a clip from the special to Instagram and recalled learning about her husband's private struggle. "I never knew my husband was a recovering opioid addict until I found an empty Suboxone wrapper in the toilet bowl that he was trying to flush down so I wouldn't see it. I was about seven or eight months pregnant with our daughter," she wrote.
Otis and Hehner credit therapy, both "couples and individual" sessions, as pivotal in their healing process. In the accompanying caption, the mom-of-two added a heartfelt message of support and admiration for her husband, celebrating his sobriety and courage in facing his addiction publicly.
"So proud," she wrote. "My hubby's been completely off opioid addiction meds and has remained sober!... I really commend my hubby for opening up about his addiction issues and recovery."
The mom-of-two, who is currently pregnant with twins, challenged the stigma of airing one's "dirty laundry" in public, writing, "Suffering alone in silence only amplifies the problems you have. If you can open up about them (even if only with a therapist) you will feel a sense of freedom and peace within yourself that you haven't felt in a long time."
"So many people hide in shame with their problems alone. But if they opened up about ‘em they’d realize they’re not alone at all," Otis went on. "It took my hubby nearly 10 years! But I’ve never seen that man more happy and alive than I do these days."
In the comments, fans praised Hehner and Otis' vulnerability.
"I just watched it and I am in tears. Thank You for sharing. I have been clean for 11 years and every day it’s a fight. Doug’s story inspires me to not be scared to talk about my sobriety," a fan penned.
"This topic is shrouded in shame so it's really amazing of you both to be speaking about it so honestly in the public eye. Thank you both for your vulnerability!," an Instagram user shared.
"As a mama of a daughter fighting desperately to come off of methadone, I applaud you both," another wrote.
"My dad and all of my siblings are addicts and are still actively using. I always hope that one day they will all get sober like Doug has. Also, you are amazing, Jamie, to find this out and work through it with him," someone weighed in.
In September 2023, Hehner shared emotional Instagram Reel of himself speaking on his podcast "Hot Marriage Cool Parents" reflecting on his journey to sobriety and attributing how far he has come to the support of his wife.
"I was scared to admit that I was an addict, I wanted to forget that part of me. Leave it in the past and never look back," he captioned the video. "My wife showed me how to be my best self, and what it is to be true to yourself. I will never be able to thank you enough. Sometimes you don't realize how strong you are until you have someone stronger than you offering their unwavering support and encouragement to be your best self."
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