Nick’s Story of Addiction Recovery (SOAR)

Early in life, nothing could predict that Nick would get involved with drugs, or even develop an all-out addiction. While entering high school as a freshman, Nick’s family moved from a big city on the outskirts of Houston to a small town in the country. His parents were suspicious that he and his older brother began drinking with friends, so they moved the family away, hoping a change of scenery would eliminate the issue.

Nick settled into the new country life, but things weren’t easy there as the new kid. So, he started drinking and smoking weed with his peers. 

“I just wanted to fit in,” he says. “But I didn’t realize that wasn’t the right way to fit in. It just seemed like the easiest way.”

Eventually, Nick developed a reputation at his school. He was known as the kid who knew where and how to get drugs for everyone. In a sense, it elevated him to a new status. And as the drugs gradually took over his life, Nick unknowingly became addicted to them.

“It’s something no one plans. I was mean to my family, my girlfriend, and was very cynical to everyone at the school,” he says. “I even totaled my first car at 17 and was charged with a DWI – it was definitely creating a lot of conflict.” 

His father, rightfully so, didn’t want him using drugs. As much as he respected his father, his addiction won him over. Nick was always high at his house.

There were many times during his addiction that Nick realized he could be doing more with his life. He knew he needed help and was in-and-out of 30-day treatment programs since he was 19 years old, but his addiction was just too powerful. 

Eventually, his drug use caught up with him and he was arrested on Christmas Eve, at age 29. He was charged with three federal felonies and his bond was set at over $50,000.

At first, his father was done dealing with it all and didn’t intend to hire an attorney. Nick spent Christmas Day, New Years, and his birthday behind bars. However, his father had a change of heart and hired an attorney who was able to reduce the charges and bond. Once Nick was back home, things were tense. His father set a curfew and limited his activities.

Unfortunately, the new restrictions and structure didn’t keep Nick’s addiction at bay; and just two days after he got out of jail, he was back buying and using the same drugs that he was arrested for. It was when law enforcement pulled him over, two days out of jail and in possession of drugs, that made him realize something needed to change — and 30-days wasn’t going to cut it.

In April of 2020, Nick began looking for an answer and decided on Nova Recovery Center’s 90-day inpatient program. It was different from his previous experiences in treatment. He went through all 12 steps of the 12-Step Program for the first time and was able to connect with the staff in a deeper way than ever before.

“This time, I didn’t use or drink the second or third day when I got back home,” he says. “Nova had a major impact on my life and moved me away from wanting a life of drinking and using to a life where I can live clean and sober.”

Nick has been completely sober for a year and a half, at the time of this publication. He has decided to pay it forward and help others struggling just as he was. Today, he works a rewarding job as a Research Specialist in the Center for Drug and Alcohol Studies at a well-known university in Texas. He fills his free time with activities he enjoys, like mountain biking in the Austin area, spending quality time with friends and family, and modifying his car.

“My life is something I could have never even imagined. I love everything about life now,” he says.

And when it comes to addiction, he encourages people to reach out and ask for help. “There is a way out if you want to get out of it,” he says.

If you’re struggling with drug or alcohol addiction, please call (888) 427-4932 or contact us online. The compassionate professionals at Nova Recovery Center are here to help you.