(WWJ) - For many, the holidays bring parties and family gatherings along with colder weather, but for Michiganders struggling with drug addiction, the end-of-the year celebrations could send them into relapse.
Linda Davis, the Executive Director of Families Against Narcotics, joined WWJ's Mike Campbell on Saturday to discuss how the holidays create "tense" situations that can be detrimental to an addict's road to recovery.
Davis said it is the time of year they see the highest amount of people seeking help.
"A lot of people start thinking about the holidays and what they're missing and so oftentimes, that is really a conduit for them to try to get help," she explained. "Right before the holidays and right after the holidays are usually our busiest times of the year in placing people."
Families Against Narcotics also runs the Hope Not Handcuffs program in partnership with many police departments across Southeast Michigan and beyond.
For those struggling with addiction, Davis said it can be difficult or frustrating to access treatment.
"It's not as simple as picking up a phone and calling in. Oftentimes, you're on hold for hours," she said. "It's really very frustrating."
The program makes it possible for people to walk directly into participating police departments and ask for help if suffering from a substance use problem.
"It doesn't matter what it is," Davis said, "it can be cocaine, alcohol, methamphetamine, heroin -- it doesn't really matter. They will treat you kindly. There's no fear of arrest. They call us, we will send an Angel to the police department to meet you and help you access treatment."
Some departments involved across the area are police agencies in Lincoln Park, Farmington Hills, Eastpoint, Flat Rock, Clay Township, Sterling Heights, Shelby Township, Grand Blanc Township, Troy and more.
See the entire list by county here.
According to Davis, avoiding relapse can take as little as seven seconds, but for those struggling with addiction, that short amount of time can be life changing.
"In that seven seconds, if you can access help, rather than turning back and going back to old habits, then oftentimes that that really is key in making sure that you get the help that you need," she stressed.
Families Against Narcotics offers a number of family programs for relatives to look out for and help loved ones through difficult moments, like during the holidays. Davis said oftentimes friends and family members don't realize they're not encouraging recovery because they don't know how.
"We have really developed a really robust problem program around helping families understand addiction, what works, what doesn't work, and how to really promote recovery in your family, and not encourage the substance use problem," she explained.
Of course, Davis said, the first step to recovery is for both the family and for the person that's suffering from substance use to acknowledge that there is a problem. Once that first step is made, Davis said Families Against Narcotics will do everything to encourage and promote a friendly, welcoming environment to prevent relapse.
"We really do walk you through that process and make sure that you have all of the tools that you need that if you want to live a sober life that we can help you do that," she said.
"We stay with you until the whole process is done and over with and then we stay with you for up to a year, if you want us to," she said.
Families Against Narcotics provides peer recovery coaching, family recovery coaching and funds for sober living up to a period of time.
"We will help you get on your feet and start living the life that you want to live," Davis added.