Narcotics Anonymous

Narcotics Anonymous was designed with the same model as Alcoholics Anonymous, the longest-running and most popular addiction support group in the United States.

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The Story of Narcotics Anonymous

Narcotics Anonymous was established in response to the success of Alcoholics Anonymous. NA provides support for those attempting to recover from drugs other than just alcohol. NA was officially founded in Los Angeles in 1953, and has spread to thousands of locations in 129 countries.

The only requirement to become a member of NA is a desire to overcome your addiction. NA groups don’t make a distinction between any type of drug, including alcohol. They also recognize that polysubstance dependence is common. Any addict who wants to recover is welcome.

What to Expect from an NA Meeting

It’s natural to be a little intimidated before going to a meeting, but just remember that everyone was once where you are. In fact, Narcotics Anonymous members are all recovering addicts who want to help others recover. You can rest assured that the group will provide a caring, welcoming, nonjudgmental environment.

Meetings are usually either discussion or speaker meetings. In discussion meetings, members share their personal stories of addiction and recovery as they relate to their lives. In speaker meetings, one or more members is asked to share for the majority of the meeting.

In discussion meetings, members may share as much or as little as they feel comfortable with, keeping in mind and being courteous of time constraints. New attendees aren’t required to share, though they are usually welcome to if they so choose. Sharing is done one at a time, and members are asked to only share their own experience and not comment on others’–conversations can be had during breaks or after the meeting.

Narcotics Anonymous and Religion

NA meetings are not based in any religion, but are rather grounded in spirituality. This refers to a higher power without defining what that is, as it can be different for everyone. Parts of the NA meeting usually include references to “God” and a prayer at the closing of the meeting. However, some people replace “God” with “higher power” or “good orderly direction.” The higher power aspect is meant to be a set of guiding morality and strength and is not based on any religion.

Terminology for Your First Meeting

Here’s a quick glossary of terms used in NA meetings, as listed in the NA official “Intro to NA” material.

“Closed” vs. “Open” Meetings

As in Alcoholics Anonymous meetings, Narcotics Anonymous meetings can be either “open” or “closed.” In open meetings, anyone may attend, including those who are interested in the group and how it works or who want to attend to support a loved one. Closed meetings are only for recovering addicts.

Deciding which type of group you would like to attend is up to you and what you are comfortable with. It’s also recommended to try several different groups and meetings until you find one that fits best with your needs, schedule and personality.

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The 12 Steps

Narcotics Anonymous bases their treatment on the AA-established 12 steps. The only difference is that the NA terminology replaces references to “alcohol” with simply “addiction,” as NA doesn’t make a distinction between addictions. Read more about the 12 steps here.

Strength and Accountability in Numbers

One of the most powerful aspects of NA is the community. Because NA is made up of recovering addicts who take care of their own, meetings can provide a welcome environment of help and healing for newcomers

Once a new attendee is familiar with the structure of NA and has established a relationship with the group, he or she can start looking for a sponsor. A sponsor is someone who is already established in NA and well-versed in the 12 Steps who can act as a mentor. It is usually advised to find a sponsor who also has a sponsor, so there are multiple layers of accountability.

Finding a Narcotics Anonymous Group

Are you ready to find a Narcotics Anonymous group to help you overcome your addiction? With more than 61,000 meetings held every week worldwide, there are many options that can fit your needs and lifestyle. Let an addiction expert help you find an NA group today.

Narcotics Anonymous

An addict’s first introduction to the program of Narcotics Anonymous often begins at residential treatment. Rehab will provide the addict with in-house NA meetings.

Many times a rehab facility will also transport their clients to meetings held outside of the center. This can be very beneficial, as it will get the addict accustomed to attending meetings outside of the safe confines of treatment.

Here is an excerpt from one of the standard readings used at Narcotics Anonymous meetings everywhere:

“NA is a nonprofit fellowship or society of men and women for whom all drugs had become a major problem. We are recovering addicts who meet regularly to help each other stay clean. This is a program of complete abstinence from all drugs. There is only one requirement for membership, the desire to stop using. We suggest that you keep an open mind and give yourself a break. Our program is a set of principles written so simply that we can follow them in our daily lives. The most important thing about them is that they work.” Narcotics Anonymous: What is the NA program?

Why Go to Rehab?

Statistics show that people who go to rehab and are serious about aftercare have a higher chance at long term success than people who do not. Addiction is a physical, mental, biological, emotional, and spiritual disease. Rehab addresses and helps correct all of these aspects.

Explore with us some of the benefits of choosing to attend rehab for substance abuse:

About Narcotics Anonymous

Narcotics Anonymous is a program based on the twelve steps of recovery. The program is designed to help drug addicts get and stay clean. NA works by meeting regularly for its members to share personal experience, strength, and hope.

The members of Narcotics Anonymous focus on working the twelve steps. The twelve steps are a set of principles designed to help addicts live a life free from drugs. NA members attribute their clean time to constant connection with other recovering addicts and by adopting the twelve steps and twelve traditions as a way of life.

Regular meeting attendance, service work, sponsorship, fellowship, active engagement with the twelve steps, NA approved literature, prayer and meditation are all tools that NA members use for their recovery from drug addiction.

Each of the twelve steps has an underlying spiritual principle that addicts are expected to incorporate if they wish to stay clean and grow.

Finding Help

We believe that one addict helping another is without parallel.

Addiction is cunning, baffling, and powerful. Narcotics Anonymous provides tried-and-true results for helping addicts get clean.

Recovery from addiction works best when a multidisciplinary approach is taken. Rehab is a stepping-stone to get your recovery started on the right track.

“I am more successful than I have ever been. I feel very positive where I never did before, and I think that’s all a direct result of getting sober.” Jamie Lee Curtis

Inpatient addiction treatment will introduce the suffering addict to twelve-step based programs of recovery along with other therapeutic tools to aid in their recovery.

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What to Expect at an AA or NA Meeting

Many of us experience tremendous anxiety when contemplating attending our first meeting of Alcoholics Anonymous or Narcotics Anonymous. This feeling is common, and largely based on our fear of the unknown. We have no idea what to expect at a meeting, how to find one, which one to attend, what to do, say and where to sit.

The courage to take that first step: to walk in the door of a 12 step meeting, marks great growth in our willingness to recover. This article may allay some of the anxiety and dispel some of the illusions about what to expect.

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Let’s start with how to find a meeting. The obvious solution to the problem of anxiety and fear of the unknown is to attend your first meeting with someone in AA/NA who knows the ropes. If this is not possible, visit the AA or NA websites: www.AlcoholicsAnonymous.org or www.narcoticsanonymous.org . These sites will walk you through how to find a meeting in your area. You can also call your local AA Central Office, or the Alcoholics Anonymous or Narcotics Anonymous hotline.

Once you have found the listing, pick a meeting that appeals to you. You will find several types of meetings. There will be Speaker, Big Book, Discussion and Step meetings among others. You can refer to the AA website for a complete description of meeting types, as well as explanations of the meeting codes. In general Speaker meetings are where one individual shares his or her recovery story, followed by group discussions. In Discussion meetings everyone can share on the day’s topic or reading.. In Big Book meetings the book of Alcoholics Anonymous is discussed. A Closed meeting is for those who have identified as an alcoholic/addict. An Open meeting is open to those who may want to listen and are not clear on the nature of their alcoholism or addiction. There are meetings for women only, and for men only.

If you are attending your first meeting, just find a seat where you are comfortable, sit back and listen. Take in the meeting and how it works so that you are more comfortable next time. Meetings usually start with AA readings and the Serenity Prayer, and end with the Serenity or Lord’s Prayer. You are not required to share at meetings, and at some you are not required to introduce yourself (by first name only). No two AA meetings are alike; the commonality lies in the member’s desire to stay sober. You will find people in the rooms are quite welcoming and encouraging to newcomers. They will encourage you to keep coming back.

Most importantly, keep an open mind. Each meeting has a different dynamic; it can change with the meeting time of day, the location, or the meeting type. Give each meeting a chance, you may need to return a few times before you feel comfortable. Try different meetings and choose your favorite to be your home group. Try to avoid the trap of looking for reasons to justify your desire to not be there and not return. Look for the similarities and not the differences…. Remember, we put an awful lot of effort and time into feeding our addictions; we deserve to give our recovery and our lives much more.