Jason Wahler Reveals He Made Amends to Ex Lauren Conrad as Part of His Journey to Sobriety
Jason Wahler is getting candid about his challenging journey to sobriety and how reconciling with ex-girlfriend Lauren Conrad was a part of his healing.
During an appearance on E!’s Just the Sip with Justin Sylvester, The Hills star, 32, described his former self as a “sad lost individual” and opened up about his suicide attempt.
“The depths of my addiction took me to not contemplation, but attempting suicide,” he said. “I got to a really, really dark place.”
For Wahler, it all started about a decade ago when the MTV series had just aired.
“I’m not proud of it, but 10 to 12 years ago I was the drunk, womanizing alcoholic,” Wahler told Sylvester. “I was very lost.”
“After we shot Laguna Beach going into season 1 of The Hills is when my addiction took full force,” Wahler explained. “Drugs and alcohol were my solution.”
Michael Loccisano/FilmMagic Lauren Conrad and Jason Wahler
After a string of arrests, Wahler hit rock bottom. When he finally sought help, Wahler revealed making amends to the people he hurt was necessary in his recovery.
“Part of the process of recovery and living your life sober is making amends and I made amends to Lauren,” Wahler shared on the show.
“It’s freeing. When you can take ownership of your actions and let people know you truly want to make things right and you apologize and you take the actions to fix what you did, it feels good.”
Wahler and Conrad’s tumultuous relationship was a focal point of The Hills, with Conrad, now 33, being labeled as “the girl that didn’t go to Paris” after she skipped out on an opportunity to fix their romance.
“I’ve definitely transformed,” Wahler told Sylvester. “I’m happy to be able to say that. I’m content in my own skin. I can sit here and look you in the eye and I’m comfortable, I’m confident, I’m happy. I’ve got a great group of people around me.”
In 2013, Wahler married wife Ashley in front of family and friends at the Calamigos Ranch in Malibu, California. In 2017, the couple welcomed their first child — daughter Delilah Ray.
Conrad has also moved on from their romance. She married law school grad William Tell — whom she began dating in 2012 — on Sep. 13, 2014. In 2017, the pair welcomed son Liam James, and in April 2019, she announced baby number two would be making his or her debut soon.
Stefanie Keenan/Getty Images Lauren Conrad and William Tell
Wahler previously spoke out about making amends to Conrad in 2011, explaining, “She was a big part of my life and there’s stuff that happened in the past with my drunken ways that I needed to address.”
“She’s an incredible person and so supportive of anything I do to stay clean,” he said.
RELATED: The Hills‘ Jason Wahler: ‘Lauren Conrad Had Nothing to Do with My Alcoholism or Addiction’
While Wahler’s troubled past his now behind him, the reality star has returned to TV for the reboot of the show — The Hills New Beginnings, which premiered in June.
The cast includes Heidi Montag, Spencer Pratt, Whitney Port, Brody Jenner, Justin “Bobby” Brescia, Audrina Patridge, Stephanie Pratt and newcomers Mischa Barton and Brandon Lee.
Conrad did not return for the reboot.
If you or someone you know is considering suicide, please contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255), text “home” to the Crisis Text Line at 741-741 or go to suicidepreventionlifeline.org.
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