GREENVILLE, Mich. — Mental health emergencies don’t wait for business hours, and for many people, the holidays can be one of the hardest times of the year. In Greenville, one local nonprofit is ensuring resources remain available around the clock during the holiday season.
Samaritan Way, a drug addiction treatment center, operates 24-hour support lines staffed by recovery coaches who understand the unique challenges this time of year can bring.
“Recovery coaches were a big part of my recovery. You can call them whenever you want, or whenever you’re struggling,” said Nicholas Green, a Samaritan Way recovery coach who battled addiction for more than 10 years.
Green said the holidays were particularly difficult during his struggle with addiction.
“The holidays are really, really hard. I burnt bridges with my family,” Green said, “I wasn’t invited to a lot of holiday events, and so I would just bury myself in the depression and using.”
Joseph Hekkema, Samaritan Way’s executive director, emphasized the importance of community support during recovery, especially during the holidays.
“When you’re in your addiction, you feel alone. You don’t have any love or any surroundings so it’s very important that when you’re in your recovery, you kind of take advantage of the people that you meet, the community that you create, and you can be around them for the holidays,” Hekkema said.
Having someone available to talk through difficult moments can make a significant difference, according to Hekkema.
“Just having that person on the other side who’s probably went through that same situation can talk you through what they did, and maybe that’ll work for you,” Hekkema said.
Lead recovery coach and business development director Mike Baker says being able to help people during times of vulnerability is a gift.
“Whether it’s mental or physical, it’s very important that treatment centers, recovery houses, and recovery facilities open for them because they have nowhere to go. Families don’t want them, some people in the community don’t want them, but we will take them.”
Samaritan Way’s phone line is available 24-hours a day at 888-391-5112. The non-profit’s Muskegon drop in center will be open on Christmas Day from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
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