Voices of Recovery: Nick McMartin

In bringing in the new year, I wanted to share another recovery story from our community. The gentleman is Nick McMartin. Nick has been a Worland resident most of his life. Nick started his drug use at the age of 16 with marijuana use when he was in high school. Nick was introduced to it from co-workers when he was working a job at a local fast food restaurant. Nick’s use became “almost daily.”

At 17, Nick was introduced to alcohol by a “friend of a friend in an alley.” He was hanging out with friends who had alcohol and he decided to drink with them. Nick reports that with alcohol, it is “harder to keep secret,” so he didn’t drink that often. Drinking would occur maybe on the weekends during the school year and two to three times a week during the summer.

Around the age of 19 at his first year of college, Nick was introduced to a list of substances that include: ecstasy, acid, DMT, cocaine, psilocybin, etc. After being exposed to ecstasy and acid, his curiosity grew and he began wanting more ... “more substances and more money.” He was using and selling. He was hooked on the high from the substances, and the money he was making selling them.

At the age of 21, Nick’s history of being arrested started. He was arrested for various drug charges. Nick bonded out of jail, but continued the same behaviors. In November 2010 he was sentenced to three to five years in prison. He took a deferred sentence, however, in early January 2011 he was arrested for being in possession of LSD. He bonded out of jail and went to residential treatment January 31, 2011. After he got out of treatment, Nick moved in with his parents and worked two jobs for one month, until he made the decision to go to a Rave in Utah. He came back with various illegal substances and ended up being arrested the following morning in the park where he was “trying to sleep it off.” He bonded out yet again, and went on the run for three months in Washington. Nick ended up being turned into the police by a roommate, was extradited back to Wyoming, and was sentenced to a total of three to five years with 8 to 10 years consecutive, but suspended.

He went to prison for almost three years. He was released to a halfway house in Gillette, where he was introduced to the, “Amazon of drugs … the dark web,” a place where he could anonymously buy any substance. Nick ended up getting caught, was arrested, and was sentenced to one year and three months that included prison and a halfway house.

At this point, Nick was released to a sober living house and stated, he was “right back at it.” He ended up moving back to Worland due to the sober living house being sold. Nick continued using and selling until he was arrested in Montana under suspicion of driving under the influence. It was at this time he decided “something was different.” He said he thought, “That’s the last time a jail cell is going to close on me.”

Nick got into treatment, was actively involved, and successfully graduated Intensive Outpatient Treatment.

Nick is coming on two years clean from drugs in March 2022, and in September 2022 he will have two years clean from alcohol. He’s been able to improve his quality of life, sustain positive employment, and improve family relationships.

Nick has recognized that the consequences of use definitely outweigh any reward.

Recovery is possible.