Following a series of alcohol-related incidents,
Laguna Beach alum
Jason Wahler was sentenced to attend rehabilitation and undergo community service. Despite the challenges ahead, the 20-year-old reality star says is looking forward to the community service he must complete as part of the 36-month post-rehabilitation probation because he wants to set an example for the youth.
"I really screwed up my life at one point and I want to show people what not to do,” Wahler, who has been sober for seven months, told
Life & Style magazine. "It's not always fun to get messed up. I want to catch these kids before they do what I did."
Wahler, who appeared in
Laguna Beach during the second season and guest-starred in several episodes of the spin-off
The Hills, has also stated that his participation in the reality shows was what worsened his drinking problem.
"I definitely think being on
The Hills influenced my problems,” he explained. "You go out in L.A. and club owners and promoters want people on TV to party at their clubs. They throw bottles at you. It was 100 per cent part of the problem."
Wahler checked into a rehabilitation facility in May for committing such alcohol-related acts as underage drinking, drug possession and assaulting and hurling racial slurs at a tow-truck driver, all of which happened at different points in time.
Despite completing his rehabilitation stint and achieving sobriety, Wahler said a full recovery remains out of reach at this point because the public is rooting for young stars like him to fail.
"No one is pulling for anyone in Hollywood. They want everyone to fail at being sober. No one helps young stars get their life on track," he said.
On the upside, Jason Wahler is also set to marry tennis player Katja Decker-Sadowski. Wahler popped the question in August during a housewarming bash for their new home in Los Angeles. Among the wedding guests was
Lauren Conrad, Wahler's ex-flame whom he began seeing while filming
Laguna Beach.
Wahler and Decker-Sadowski are not planning to wed anytime soon, as they are “thinking about getting married in a year and a half, two years.”
-Lisa Claustro, BuddyTV Staff Columnist
Source: Life & Style Magazine, Contact Music
(Image Courtesy of the Associated Press)