Author: James Anderson

What Is an NA Narcotics Anonymous Meeting?

Some groups choose to host a single speaker (such meetings are usually denoted “speaker meetings”) to share for the majority of the meeting time. If you are considering undertaking the 12 steps of NA, you’re not alone. According to a 2020 study, approximately 45% of Americans who have recovered from substance addiction have used 12-step programs to do so. Like AA, NA is a free, community-based resource that anyone can access. NA started in California in the 1950s as an offshoot of Alcoholics Anonymous (AA). Today, it holds more than 70,000 regular meetings in 144 countries.

Most recently in 2022, Narcotics Anonymous published the Spiritual Principal A Day book often shortened to SPAD. This book consists of a short message about a different spiritual principle for each day of the year. This is similar to another book previously published by NA called Just for Today, containing a message for thought on a recovery related topic for each day of the year. While previous literature had been written by just a few addicts (primarily by Jimmy Kinnon), the NA Basic Text was written as a massive collaboration between hundreds of people.

The 12 steps mention God, but NA stresses that this isn’t necessarily a religious figure but sort of a power outside of yourself that helps motivate you. However, it is important to note that coordinators cannot control the actions of the participants. The anonymity can be naturally compromised by interacting with others, although members are directed not to identify each other by name or in photos.

Specific Group Gatherings

If you are open about your drug replacement therapy, however, you may be asked not to speak at an NA meeting and simply listen. You may not get the full benefits of actively taking part in meetings. Specific Narcotics Anonymous group meetings are restricted by certain group characteristics.

It’s best to work with an addiction specialist to receive the proper combination of treatments for your condition. Even if you don’t want to participate in a recovery program, these meetings won’t require you to sign up for a membership. Besides open meetings, you can also join online meetings (virtual meetings). Members can share their experiences during NA meetings for 5 minutes or so.

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Big Book Study

Area service committees also provide special subcommittees to serve the needs of members who may be confined in jails and institutions, and will also provide a public interface to the fellowship. Other meeting formats include round-robin (sharing goes around in a circle), tag meeting (each speaker picks the next person to share), and stick meetings (each member draws a stick with a topic to share on). Some meetings focus on reading, writing, and/or sharing about one of the Twelve Steps or some other portion of NA literature.

1. NA is welcome to any person who thinks they’re addicted to substances and wants to change their life.
2. It signifies that a person is willing to let these things go and move toward healthier behaviors that will support long-term recovery.
3. While the previous step requires you to recognize your wrongs, this step requires you to go one step further and confess them out loud.
4. During meetings, members of the group share their experiences, listen to others, provide and receive encouragement, and celebrate their successes on the path to recovery.
5. Regular meetings, hosted by NA groups, are the basic unit of the NA fellowship.

There were a total of seven World Literature Conferences within three years, all of them open to any addict who wished to help. It was decided that the book would use the Little White Book as its outline, filling in and expanding on the subjects discussed in that text. This step involves putting your faith in a higher power that can help you heal. The higher power can be God, or any other spiritual entity or concept you believe in.

What Is Narcotics Anonymous (NA)?

There are local NA meetings available every day throughout the United States and hundreds of countries around the world. Members often find the support they need to recover from addiction. Many people say it is a safe place to turn to when you need help getting and staying sober. Like Alcoholics Anonymous (AA), members use a 12-step program to guide them through recovery. Meetings tend to last 60 to 90 minutes and offer open and closed meetings.

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Local NA meetings, in particular, can increase the risk of recognition. If the distress over anonymity hinders a person’s progress, online sessions may be more suitable for them. NA meetings with the 12-step study format explore one or several steps per gathering. These groups may be divided by religion or lack thereof, as some of the steps may contain spiritual exercises. It is critical for successful recovery to choose the right NA meeting format. There is a wide variety of formats to accommodate the needs of every person regardless of their background and history of addiction.