Project Recovery: A UFC fighter shares his journey through addiction

Court McGee is a local fighting star. He is a native Utahn. He is a Mixed Martial Arts fighter. He was the champion of The Ultimate Fighter in its eleventh season on Spike TV. And he joins Casey Scott and Dr. Matt Woolley for a two-part episode of Podcast Recovery. McGee opens up about his journey towards recovery from drug addiction.

“I have a responsibility to share my story,” McGee says. “Not only is it a huge part of my recovery, [it] is giving back what was so freely given to me.”

McGee says that he believes that addiction is an inherent in his personality, and had been so long before his first drink.

Woolley, show co-host, says that the disease of addiction does run in families. A family history of addiction means that a person should pay attention to what choices are being made in order to avoid addiction, Woolley says.

McGee cites the beginning of his addiction on his dependence on pain pills after a treatment for a shattered collarbone.

The addiction can begin within four or five days, he says.

It only two took two times of misusing a drug to become addicted to it, he says.

Once he started shooting up with needles he noticed a series of disappointments in his life, some related to his drug addiction, seemed to go away.

He says he had no motivation to stop. Any time he put limitations on himself he would exceed his limitations.

McGee shares how he, when he was an addict, would organize his day around his drug and alcohol use.

Woolley says it is an addiction mindset: Everything that is done is for maintaining and promoting the drug use.

McGee’s addiction nearly led to his death.

One September a few years ago, his overdose led to his being without a pulse for about seventeen minutes.  He was transported by ambulance. The unlikely discovery of the needle he used to overdose allowed him being given the right treatment to bring him back to life.

Still, he was in a coma for a time after the overdose.

His recovery depended on many people who did not give up on him, including himself.

McGee says has been sober for more than 4,300 days.

Hear his more of his story in this two-part episode.

Part one with Court McGee

Part two with Court McGee

Resources for those suffering from addiction

• Alcoholics Anonymous
• AA Utah
• LDS Addiction Recovery Program

Download Project Recovery Podcast