When Brandon and Nick sing about being addicted to drugs, they’re telling their life stories. The two teens are in rehab now at Rivendell Behavioral Health Services in Bowling Green, learning to live without drugs and finding other ways to deal with life.

“This is for all those people who’ve ever had a drug problem,” Brandon, 17, said as he and Nick, 16, stood before the rest of the patients at Rivendell on Thursday afternoon and began to perform the song they wrote.

“I hate the drugs that are in my life, going to rehab to make things right. So sick of the weed, so sick of the jack, my life is straight, and I ain’t going back,” Brandon sang as Nick played the guitar.

The two teens have turned to music as they deal with the drug abuse that landed them in Rivendell, a facility that houses and works with children who have psychological needs.

“I like the sound of music,” Brandon said. “It reduces my stress.”

Nick said he began playing guitar on his own and taught himself to play. Brandon, who spent 65 days in jail before coming to Rivendell, plays guitar and drums. The two met in rehab.

“I had to get locked up before I was gonna come clean,” Brandon said.

Nick understands.

“I was out there using,” Nick said. “It’s like the drugs took control.”

“It feels so much better to be clean,” he added.

Both said they now use music to feel good and get a natural high from it.

“It’s a really good coping skill,” Brandon said. “To get off the drugs, you replace the drugs with something positive.”

Brandon said his relationship with God has also helped him get clean.

“I just put my faith in the Lord and trust him,” Brandon said.

The two performed their song for the first time Thursday afternoon at Rivendell during a special program that rewarded the residents for good behavior. After Brandon and Nick sang, members of the Hillvue Heights Church worship team and the band Micah put on a concert while the kids enjoyed cotton candy, popcorn and sodas.

“It’s basically a reward for our recreational therapy program,” said Alex Sewell, recreational therapy supervisor at Rivendell.

Sewell said the concert was something for the kids to look forward to.

“I think it’s very important, just to see the excitement of being part of it and just the excitement that someone would be willing to come out and spend time and perform for them,” Sewell said.

Janice Richardson, CEO of Rivendell, said the students had goals they had to reach in order to attend the concert and all 100 living at the facility reached their goals.

“We wanted to try something new for the kids,” Richardson said. “Sometimes you have to look for different ways to motivate a child.”

Richardson said that from a recreational therapy standpoint, it is important to teach that hobbies and interests aren’t just sports. And for students to write a song and perform it is very beneficial.

“That’s a huge self-esteem building activity for them,” she said.

Before beginning to sing, Brandon took time to offer words of encouragement to those there.

“You can come out on the other side,” Brandon said. “We can turn our lives around.”