The Young and the Restless Recap August 10: Nick's Nightmare Took Him Down Dark Drug Possibilities

On the Monday, August 10, 2026 episode of The Young and the Restless, a standalone episode saw Nick experiencing a nightmare exposing how his addiction could impact his family. Then, he woke up to face a stranger looking for a fix.

Magical Mystery Tour

Matt serves as Nick's tour guide | Image: JPI

At a seedy motel, a strung-out Nick entered his room and flopped onto the bed. His phone pinged with text messages from Sharon and Victoria, begging him to let them know he was okay. He threw his phone on the floor and passed out. Nick dreamed that Matt ordered him to get up because they had places to be. And now, for Nick's dream...

Matt questioned why Nick loved being high. Matt imagined that Nick loved the freedom to be who he truly was and that Nick didn’t want it to stop. Matt welcomed Nick to his new life. Nick swore he’d fight his addiction, and he blamed Matt for being the reason he’d started using. Matt lectured that Nick needed to take responsibility for the things he’d done instead of blaming everyone else for his shortcomings. Matt picked up Nick’s car keys and suggested they go for a ride.

In the car, Matt speculated that Nick had always wanted to unleash his authentic self, which had been buried under decades of his white-knight façade and the Newmans’ expectation that Nick be the perfect son, father, and brother. Matt encouraged Nick to step into the freedom he’d always wanted, but Nick insisted that he didn’t want it. Matt contended that they were only there because Nick wouldn’t embrace the fact that he loved being high more than anyone or anything.

High as a Kite

Nick was surprised to see Sharon | Image: JPI

Nick and Matt entered The Shadow Room, where they spotted Sharon slouching over a table. Nick rushed over to see if she was all right, and she groggily asked where her surprise was. Nick demanded to know what Matt had done to her, but Matt couldn’t take credit for her being high as a kite and liking it. Sharon slurred that she felt amazing, but Mariah intervened to get Sharon out of there.

Sharon protested that she couldn’t go home because she was waiting for Nick’s surprise. Mariah snapped that Nick had done enough by convincing Sharon to get high because the pills weren’t addictive. Nick swore it had never happened. Sharon cooed that Nick had helped her see the way out of her boredom and day-to-day tasks and expectations.

Sharon slumped back over the table, and Nick planned to get her out of there to seek help. Mariah scoffed at Nick taking Sharon to rehab, where he hadn’t lasted a day. Nick defended that Mariah had no idea how hard it was, but the woman before him clarified that she was Cassie. Cassie blasted Nick for not recognizing his own daughter, and she questioned whether her death had meant nothing to him.

Cassie said she’d trusted Nick to protect her mom, but all he’d done was hurt Sharon over and over again. Cassie asked when Nick had last been there for her siblings, but he remained silent. She chastised him for making drugs his priority and spat that he was the last person who should ever be a father. Nick swore that he loved his family and the last thing he’d wanted to do was to hurt them.

Sharon requested another pill. Nick promised that he wouldn’t let Cassie down, so he escorted Sharon out. Matt quipped that a junkie’s promise wasn’t worth the breath it took to make it, and Cassie smacked him across the face. Cassie proclaimed that there was only one devil there, and it was Matt.

Eye for an Eye

Adam and Chelsea confronted Nick | Image: JPI

In the car, Sharon envisioned that Cassie was always looking down on her and Nick as their perfect guardian angel. Nick muttered that he needed more than that to get his life back on track. Adam suddenly lunged for Nick from the back seat and began to strangle him. The car swerved off the road.

Nick found himself at the Newman ranch, where Adam threw him down on the couch and prepared to punch him. Chelsea appeared, and Nick hoped she’d talk sense into Adam. Chelsea hissed that she might help Adam after what Nick had done. A confused Nick had no idea what he’d done to deserve their fury.

Chelsea explained that Connor had gone to visit Christian because Nick was never home anymore, and Connor had found Nick’s stash of fentanyl and overdosed on it. Nick swore that he’d always been careful not to leave his drugs lying around, and he reached into his pocket to prove it, but he found it empty. Chelsea and Adam declared their intent to take Christian in exchange for Nick killing Connor. Nick admitted that he’d ruined everything, and he stepped outside to get some air.

Special Delivery

Nick returned to The Shadow Room, looking for Cassie. At the bar, Nick’s dealer held out a baggie with a special delivery. Nick hesitated, but the dealer asserted that one more time couldn’t hurt. Nick reached for the baggie, but Nikki slapped his hand away and cried that he was breaking her heart. Nikki admonished Nick for lying to her and hiding the fact that he was still using drugs. Nick thought she should understand better than anyone.

Nikki recounted that she’d fought to get sober, whereas Nick hadn’t put any effort into it. Nick pledged to go back to rehab and fight, but Nikki clucked that everything she’d thought she’d known about him had turned out to be a lie. Victor echoed that Nick was a disgrace. Nikki revealed that she and Victor had separated because he blamed her for what Nick had become.

Nikki stepped to the bar and ordered vodka from Matt. Nick pleaded with her not to drink after she’d fought hard for her sobriety. Nikki responded that if it was good enough for Nick, it was good enough for her, and she chugged back the vodka. Victor excoriated Nick for destroying Nikki and their entire family.

Back in the motel room, Nick murmured that it couldn’t be the way it ended. Victoria appeared and acknowledged that it had been hard for him to be a hero to everyone, and the burden had become too much. Nick wailed that he didn’t want to be an addict or to disappoint his family and wanted his life back. Victoria lectured that it wouldn’t happen on its own. He had to earn it.

There was pounding at the door, and a woman called out to ask if Nick was okay. Nick reached for his phone and found missed text messages from Adam, Noah, and Christian. Nick staggered to the door and told the woman she had the wrong room. She explained that she’d heard him crying out like he was in pain. Nick chalked it up to his nightmare, and he thanked her for checking on him. She peered inside and asked if he had stuff to share.

Watch full episodes of The Young and the Restless on CBS or stream on Paramount Plus.