North Greenbush Town Supervisor turns life around ASAP

ALBANY, N.Y. >> As someone who has spent the past 35 years in recovery, North Greenbush Town Supervisor Lou Desso is grateful to be able to work in the substance abuse field, where he can help addicts turn around their lives just like he’s been able to turn his life around since receiving treatment.

Desso, 64, who is serving his second two-year term as the town supervisor, which is a part-time role, was formerly the Deputy Commissioner of the Rensselaer County Department of Mental Health.

“I view my public service as an extension of my recovery and an opportunity to give back to life. I have come to believe the quality of my life is in direct proportion to my willingness to help others,” Desso said.

Since February, Desso has been working for the Alcohol & Substance Abuse Programs of NY in Albany as a special assistant to the executive director.

“When sitting at my desk at Town Hall doing the work required to lead the Town of North Greenbush and at my new desk at ASAP (Alcohol & Substance Abuse Programs of NY), the question that sometimes pops into my mind is – how did I get here? The answer is simple – my recovery from alcohol and substance abuse is exactly how I got here. While that answer is simple, my journey has been treacherous at times; full of adventure, challenges, sorrow, happiness, and ultimately a new way of life,” said Desso during a recent interview.

Desso said his life began to spiral downward after wanting to try alcohol for the first time at a young age.

“My curiosity motivated me to take my first drink at 12-years-old. While I didn’t like the taste, I can still recall the effect,” Desso explained. “It sent warm tingles through my body, released my inhibitions and made me laugh.

“From that point on I drank whenever the opportunity presented itself.”

Desso said from that time on his life began to get progressively worse, particularly during his high school years.

“High School was a troubled time in my life,” he recalled. “During my freshman year, I began to have adjustment problems which set the stage for my introduction to marijuana and the realization that when I was high everything seemed alright.

“It relieved my fears and insecurities and replaced them with a false sense of courage that enabled me to do things that I couldn’t do on my own. In retrospect one can see that I was already in the early stages of addiction.”

Desso said that after graduating high school he continued to struggle with his addiction which continued to progress rapidly sending his life out of control.

“By the time I was 20-years-old, I had lost all motivation to succeed and my self-esteem was gone. To hide this from the world my addictions got worse. Entrenched in denial, I blamed all my problems on everything and everyone but me,” Desso said.

He went on to recall his life began to change after getting married to his wife Deb and after they had their first child Jonathan, with their daughter Jamie on the way.

“Although I didn’t realize it at the time, in 1976 I received the biggest break of my life; I met my wife Deb. I fell in love and for the first time in my life I had a reason to try to control my use, but of course I couldn’t,” Desso said. “Four years later we were married and shortly thereafter we were blessed with our first child Jonathan and my wife was expecting our daughter Jamie.

“It was the look on my son’s face after not making it home for his second Christmas that was the final straw for this alcoholic. My last excuse, that I drank because I wanted to, not because I had to, was finally gone. That look on his face haunted me and two weeks later I entered into treatment on January 13, 1983.

“I’ve been alcohol and drug free ever since.”

Desso said since checking himself into a treatment center in 1983 his life has turned around completely and now he lives a happy, successful and sober life.

“As for my life today, it has changed dramatically. I’ve been given a second chance at life. In sobriety I returned to school and became a NYS Credential Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Counselor. I began working at Conifer Park inpatient rehabilitation center in 1985 and have been using my life experience and training to help others afflicted with this disease ever since,” he said.

Desso added his new role at ASAP feels like the right place for him to be working at this point of his life.

“In February of this year I “came home” to the addiction field that I love when I was hired to serve as Special Assistant to the Executive Director of the New York Association of Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Providers,” Desso said. “ASAP is committed to working with and for the largest system of chemical dependence treatment, prevention and recovery programs in the country.

“In my new role with ASAP I will be assisting our Executive Director with lobbying efforts, membership relations and program development. I’m grateful to ASAP Executive Director John Coppola for giving me this opportunity.

“He’s one of the foremost experts on addiction policy in New York State and we are lucky to have him.”

Coppola said they are happy to add Desso to their team and believe that he will be an asset to them.

“We are pleased and fortunate to have someone of the quality, ability and energy like Lou Desso join us at this critical junction of our field’s evolution,” Coppola said. “His extensive experience in the substance use disorders services field and in government leadership provide an excellent foundation for his future work with us.

“I believe his life and professional experience will infuse some energy into the addiction field as we support the workforce across the state.”

“I believe my new position at ASAP is even more important and urgent given the opioid pandemic – and we call it a pandemic, not an epidemic, because it is bigger and deadlier than people realize,” Desso added. “It is a massive priority for the addiction treatment community for the state budget.

“State funding has barely kept up with the rate of inflation over the last decade while deaths, overdoses, and addiction-related problems from opioids have skyrocketed. If someone reads this story and knows there is a path to recovery and a light at the end of the tunnel, then I know that I’ve done something positive, which is what working for ASAP is all about.

“So it is after 35 years of continuous sobriety, 33 of which have been spent in the Human Services field, that I join ASAP to continue my life’s work, trying to help those folks struggling with addiction not to have to suffer like I did.

“Today I am grateful for the disease that nearly killed me, as it has been my vehicle to a beautiful way of life. If you’re losing the battle with alcohol or drugs, I pray you find what I have. The victory is a beautiful journey.”

Desso said he wanted to dedicate his sharing of this story to all the people who helped him get sober, especially his mom, dad, wife Deb, and children Jonathan and Jamie.