“I came to Haymarket for help because I was tired of living the way I was living,” Lindsay explained. “I didn’t want to die like this.”
For many people who live with substance use disorders, the path to recovery isn’t always straight and steady. For Lindsay, it took more than 30 years for him to find relief from his substance use disorder.
Haymarket Center’s doors are open 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and we treat everybody in need of our services, regardless of their ability to pay. For many people like Lindsay, our services are the only options available to help them regain control of their lives.
“I had a few different stints at Haymarket. The first couple of times I didn’t take treatment as seriously as I should have, and I certainly regret that,” Lindsay explained. “When I was finally ready to change my life for good, I knew that Haymarket was there to help.”
The anger that Lindsay had directed towards himself for his perceived failings proved to be the ultimate barrier that kept him from enjoying a consistent, stable recovery. In response, the counselors and staff members of Haymarket worked with him to process his emotions and to forgive himself in order to move forward in his recovery.
“The staff members at Haymarket taught me how to let go of all the anger and everything else that was holding me back,” said Lindsay. “I took the time to really listen to what they were saying, and it made a huge difference.”
Today, Lindsay is at peace with himself and enjoying a life free of substance use. He maintains his recovery by going to AA meetings and supporting other people with substance use disorders. While Lindsay has made peace with his past, he still wishes that others knew about the struggles that people like him face.
“I wish that people had more compassion for those who have problems with substances,” Lindsay said. “Nobody chooses this life. I made a mistake once that took me years to fix, but I’m still lucky that Haymarket was able to help me fix it.
Lindsay’s journey to recovery was long, but in the end, he was able to make it, and we at Haymarket are so proud to have been a part of that journey.
Over the past year, Haymarket has provided comprehensive treatment and support services, including job placement, recovery coaching, and parenting support to the 12,000 patients who have come to us in their time of need. We are proud of the things that we have accomplished, but additional support will help maintain excellent care for our patients and prepare for what the future might bring. With your help, we can do just that.
Please consider making a gift today to help Haymarket continue to be a place of relief and recovery for people like Lindsay.