Warren began smoking marijuana and drinking alcohol at the age of 14, and in high school he experimented with cocaine and mushrooms. According to Warren, he grew up in an upper class area of St. Louis, and wasn’t exposed to any “hard drugs,” but that all changed when he went off to school at Ole Miss. “I went to a party school and pledged a fraternity,” Warren said. “I was exposed to all of these drugs pretty much right off the bat, and started using anything and everything. It wasn’t long before it became an issue.” While away at school, Warren ran into some trouble with the law. His friends back at home staged an intervention, and he made a decision with his parents to seek help. After his initial primary treatment, Warren stayed sober for about six months before suffering a relapse, and spent just under a year continuing to use after the relapse. Warren decided to seek help again, and following his detox, he entered an addiction treatment program again but soon fell back into old behaviors. “I was about to go out on my own and try living on the streets,” Warren said. “My parents finally said, ‘alright, if you want to do it, but this is the last chance.’ I had heard that before, but this time they were serious. I would be cut off from everybody and everything.” 
Warren reconsidered, and decided to accept the help that was being offered to him. He visited home for a few days, and went down to Florida for treatment at The Refuge, where he spent five months. While there, he began working with his sponsor and made significant progress in working the 12 Steps. Following his time there, he entered Turnbridge and has re- enrolled in college. 
“In the past I really haven’t given myself the time to become comfortable and experience life sober. [Turnbridge] has given me the luxury of time to get comfortable in my own skin as a sober person, and that has been a good thing. I’ve come to the realization that I can do things sober which I’d never done before.” During his time at Turnbridge, Warren lost a good friend to addiction (pictured), and he has carried that with him throughout his residency. “It’s been a huge motivator for me to stay sober and stay here, to do this thing for someone else other than myself. Another big reason I’m doing this is so that I can be a role model to my little sister and brother. Things with family couldn’t be better, and it’s the greatest thing for me, how close I am with them now.”