Love First at Rotary

Jeff Jay, center, founder of Love First: Intervention and Recovery Services, was the guest speaker at the Sept. 14 meeting of Rotary of Grosse Pointe. He and fellow guest Steve Anderson, right, was welcomed by President Ted Everingham, left.

Jeff grew up in Grosse Pointe and was an alter boy, president of his class and merit scholar. By age 26, he was an alcoholic and drug addict, living in a park in California.  His recovery began when his family held an intervention and got him into treatment.  

Although many think addiction is a will power issue, it is actually a medical problem requiring treatment.  When one develops a chemical dependency, the drugs he/she takes (alcohol or other), react differently in their system.  It becomes perceived as a need, not a choice.

Jeff believes it is up to all of us to intervene when there is an addiction issue.  Loving intervention requires paying attention to the details, following through in the recovery process, and accountability (changing one’s own environment to assist in the recovery).