Trenton’s Story of Addiction Recovery (SOAR)

Trenton Wells moved to Texas when he was just eight years old. His home life was turbulent, tainted by physical and emotional abuse. When his parents split up a few years later, he quickly became the man of the house as the oldest of four siblings.

Trenton grew up quickly in other ways too. He was only 11 years old when he tried marijuana for the first time and 12 when he started experimenting with prescription pills. By the time he was in 10th grade, he began getting high regularly, using just about anything he could get his hands on and dealing drugs too.

As a teen, Trenton’s home life was still very unpredictable. His family bounced from place to place, and landlords evicted them several times. When Trenton was 16, he was caught selling cocaine at school and went to jail. A judge court-ordered him to attend the Juvenile Justice Alternative Education Program (JJAEP) in Georgetown, an alternative school placement program for delinquent youth.

After he finished school at the JJAEP, he moved out of his mom’s house and floated around here and there but always seemed to end up back at her place. His drug abuse was still out of control, and he spent all his time using everything from marijuana and acid to cocaine, Xanax, opiates, meth, and even fentanyl.

“I was miserable and a slave to my addiction,” Trenton says. “I was a whole different person—depraved, miserable, desperate, and even crazy at times. I did whatever I had to do to get high.”

By the time he was in his early ‘20s, Trenton was living on the streets with no money and nowhere to go. He decided to go to rehab out of sheer desperation. Unfortunately, he had no idea what he was getting himself into, and the experience was a shock to his system. He quickly relapsed after treatment.

He tried again, and again, and again to get sober. Each time, he worked the 12-Steps, but it wasn’t real, genuine work. He was simply going through the motions to fit in with everyone else or get a pat on the back from treatment center staff. As a result, his sobriety never lasted.

Trenton struggled to maintain his sobriety for several years. He was in and out of rehab and jail, lost several close friends to addiction, and his heart and mind were never in the right place when he went to rehab. But eventually, things reached a breaking point.

Driven by his addiction, Trenton stole $3,000 from his brother and convinced his entire family that a thief had broken into their home and taken it. When the police came and fingerprinted his brother’s safe, Trenton knew the truth would eventually come out, and he would end up in jail again. He found himself at a crossroads with a very important decision to make.

“I was just so broken,” he says. “I had tried everything, and nothing ever worked. Even with the drugs, I just always came back to this horrible dark place.”

He was desperate for help, so he called his dad, who helped him get into a program again. Trenton had gone to rehab at Nova before, but this time, things were different. He had nothing left and was in a complete state of desperation. He was finally ready to put everything he had on the table and work to build a better life for himself.

With the help of the staff at Nova, Trenton was able to take an honest look at himself and his life. He worked closely with the addiction treatment professionals at Nova while he went through the 12-Step Program and finally achieved lasting sobriety. 

“I’ve been extremely blessed with a full life,” he says. “I’m a very grateful person now.”

Today, Trenton has a lot to be thankful for. He bought a car and is in a healthy relationship with a wonderful woman. In addition, he holds down two stable jobs and enjoys spending his free time working out and exploring the city of Austin.

Throughout his journey to recovery, Trenton has been through a lot. But overall, he says it’s important to take the advice of people who have been through it all before. Be honest with yourself and other people about where you are in life, and carefully examine your motives and intentions for doing the 12-Step work.

If you’re struggling with addiction like Trenton was, hope and healing are waiting for you too. Please call (888) 427-4932 or contact Nova Recovery Center online to learn more about our individualized drug and alcohol rehab program.