When Bobby came to Haymarket Center, he wasn’t sure what to expect. “I came in here with a different kind of mindset and expectations” he said. He had the idea he could “come here use Haymarket for getting clean, stay a little while, maybe get a job, get some money saved up, go and get the rest on my own.” In Bobby’s mind, getting out was the goal, and the sooner it could come, the better.
“The first suggestion that staff presented was ‘take your time.’ I took that very serious,” Bobby remembers. It wasn’t an easy suggestion to take, and there were times when Bobby wasn’t sure he could do it. “I was looking for a reason to stay, and all I saw was a thumbs up and a smile,” he said. “I knew no matter what I’m going through, the old is worse. What I was going through I knew was so strong on me, but I wanted to stay.”
So, Bobby stayed. When Bobby thinks about this period, he can still name the staff, from all over Haymarket’s facilities, that had a massive impact. He remembers a supervisor who knew that he was in an unstable financial situation and made sure he could stay in a residential program after he graduated from medication assisted treatment.
“Doing this, I had to stay away from some people, even some family members. Not even out of bitterness, I knew I had to stay away for safety,” Bobby said. That’s why each staff member was so important to him. This is a central part of what Haymarket Center does – treating the whole person, not just the substance use disorder. Seeing Bobby when he needed a smile and encouragement, ensuring Bobby had a way to stay safe and housed with residential treatment programs, and just getting to know Bobby the person, more than Bobby the patient.
Those are some of the reasons Bobby is working to join Haymarket Center’s staff on a more permanent basis. Bobby is currently participating in Haymarket’s internship program for individuals in recovery, while also pursuing his GED. “It’s all about giving back. That’s all I am today. That was another suggestion I took” he says, remembering all the speakers who would come and talk about their experience with recovery and how it felt coming back to help others. “They are walking miracles, telling their story,” he said.
Through the internship program, Bobby has found meaning in being able to help others and is proud of what he has been able to accomplish. “I work in detox; I see serious trauma every day,” he said. His ability to help those with complex needs has surprised himself. “It’s my higher power working through me. Because I’m in the right place now,” he said.
Bobby hopes his story inspires others. “I get amazed at the feedback I get from patients and clients, staff, partners. ‘Man you’re doing a great job’ ‘I’m glad you’re here,’ ‘I’m glad to talk to you.’”
“I can see why I do this now, and I know I’m properly placed. It makes my day to help someone every day. The thought I wouldn’t be able to help somebody today, that would bother me. That’s who I am today. It not only feels good, it feeds me,” he said.