‘Real Housewives’ Alum NeNe Leakes Says She’s ‘Numb’ to Son’s Arrest and Drug Charge

Former Real Housewives of Atlanta star NeNe Leakes appeared on the Reality With the King podcast Tuesday where she spoke candidly about her eldest son's addiction and recent arrest.

"I spoke to him on the phone. I think he's doing okay. He needs rehabilitation, he needs a lot of counseling," Leakes told host Carlos King, breaching the subject carefully. "Like many families out there, I have family members that are struggling with drugs and certain addictions. He has an addiction. He's been struggling with it for years. He's been in rehab a couple times and he still have come back out and relapsed."

Earlier this month, Bryson Bryant was arrested and charged with possession of a Schedule II-controlled substance, allegedly fentanyl, as well as violating his probation and misdemeanors for loitering/prowling and giving a false name, address, or birthdate. Reports claim Bryant gave officers his younger brother's name, Brentt Bryant, when he was arrested. His bail was set at $3,700.

"As a mom, just to watch it is... my hands are tied. He is 31 years old, he's an adult, he has three beautiful children who I adore. He has a wife. It's not much I can do," Leakes explained. "For people who have had children or family members that have been on drugs, they know that they have to be ready. They have to simply be ready."

The Bravo alumna also revealed she's spent "so much money trying to get Bryson where he needs to be," but realized she can't force him to change. "I learned through counseling myself that he has to say, 'I'm ready to go.' Not me making him go. So until Bryson is ready to make a change, there's nothing I can do. As a mother, I will never wash my hands of my child, right? But I'm kind of numb to it because it's been happening for so many years. I'm really kind of numb to the situation."

When asked if fame contributed to the situation, Leakes acknowledged that it certainly didn't help. "I wouldn't say it's the sole cause of it," she said, pointing out that Bryson was a junior in high school when she started the Housewives franchise. "They're having a light shined on them that they did not ask for, people are picking them apart because of the job that I chose to do. So I feel for them in that way. But there's just issues that he has... I don't know addiction because I don't have an addiction, but I just know what people have said to me."

However, she's not giving up. "Lamar Odom also called to me and said he would grab Bryce right away and send him to his place, he has a rehabilitation place somewhere," Leakes concluded.