A: Narcotics Anonymous (or “NA”) is a society of men and women for whom drugs had become a major problem; we are a group of recovering addicts who meet regularly to help each other stay clean. This is also a 12 Step program fellowship. This is a simple, spiritual, not religious, program for addicts to find support from each other to stay clean.
A: Meetings are where you can find support from others who have already been where you are now. Come along, no appointment necessary, and you’ll see others getting clean & staying clean. Hopefully this will inspire you to believe you can do it too. Come as often as you like, (it’s free), as this helps build up a resistance to temptation and creates a support structure to stay clean. Then soon you’ll be inspiring others to get clean too. That’s how it works, we all help each other to do something we cannot do alone.
A: Anyone who has the desire to stop using drugs can become a member of Narcotics Anonymous. NA is open to anyone regardless of age, race, sexual identity, religion or lack of religion. Sometimes people come to NA meetings while still using drugs, detoxing from drugs, or on drug replacement therapy. Regardless of what you may be taking when you first come to NA, you are welcome.
A: An NA meeting is where two or more addicts gather for the purpose of recovery from the disease of addiction. Members offer each other support by sharing experiences about how they manage life situations without returning to using drugs. Some meetings have speakers who share their experience with getting and staying clean, while others have structured formats that focus on NA literature (our Basic Text, informational pamphlets, or our Just for Today daily meditation book, etc.). All meetings focus on recovery and supporting each other in recovery. For more information see our An Introduction to NA Meetings pamphlet.
A: A meeting is a gathering of recovering addicts, sometimes we sit in chairs in a circle or in an audience format. At this meeting, typically, a leader or chairperson will conduct the meeting. There is usually time for participation in which members share about their experience, strength, and hope with staying clean. You do not have to speak during the meeting if you don’t want to. We encourage you to get there a little early so that you can speak with some of the members and pick up some literature before the meeting starts.
A: Addicts helping each other recover are the foundation of NA. Members meet regularly to talk about their experiences in recovery. More experienced members (known as sponsors) work individually with newer members. The core of the NA program is the Twelve Steps. These “steps” are a set of spiritual guidelines outlining a practical approach to recovery.
A: Yes, come along. That’s how many of us got clean – through regular attendance, the courage to quit grew within us.
A: Absolutely; it’s very laid back. Your local meeting is run by members who were also newcomers once, so you will get a warm welcome. It doesn’t even matter if you’re late. Just walk in, sit down & listen.
A: Please feel free to make information about Narcotics Anonymous, including this web site, available to anyone you suspect may have a drug problem. Our experience is that an individual must want to stop using before help will be effective and we can then help them to find a new way to live.
A: Narcotics Anonymous is not affiliated with any treatment facility, and therefore we cannot recommend any outside entity. If you feel that you may need any form of hospitalization or professional care, please contact your local hospital. If you are in a state of health emergency, call 911.
A: No, not at all. The word God is mentioned in the readings, but this is a spiritual not religious program, we are not affiliated with any religious institutions. Many members follow their own beliefs and members can also have no belief in God. It is recommended to focus on a higher power that is loving and greater than ourselves.
A: Yes, it’s not a specific drug which defines addicts, it’s whether we have an addictive personality. If you want to stop, but cannot on your own, you qualify.
A: “Open to Non-Addicts” meetings welcome everyone, so you could bring a friend or family member with you, but if attending, they should identify themselves as such, and should refrain from speaking. Meetings marked as “Closed for addicts only” are just for addicts, plus people who have the desire to stop using any drugs.
A: A sponsor is someone who can help guide you through the steps. In order to find a sponsor it is recommended that you attend regular meetings and eventually you will hear someone who you really identify with and respect their recovery. This is a person you could ask to be your sponsor.
A: Some meetings have a speaker who tells their story, but others choose a reading from the literature on a particular topic.
A: The 12 Steps are a process through which we examine ourselves and find inner peace which will lead to a lasting recovery from addiction. The Narcotics Anonymous 12 steps are:
A: “Just for today” means that we only focus on staying clean one day at a time and focus on our life today. NA members also often tell themselves a series of “Just for Today” mantras to remove the pain of the past and fear of the future:
Just for today, my thoughts will be on my recovery, living and enjoying life without the use of drugs.
Just for today, I will have faith in someone in NA who believes in me and wants to help me in my recovery.
Just for today, I will have a program. I will try to follow it to the best of my ability.
Just for today, through NA, I will try to get a better perspective on my life.
Just for today, I will be unafraid, my thoughts will be on my new associations, people who are not using and who have found a new way of life. So long as I follow that way, I have nothing to fear.
A: Narcotics Anonymous is entirely funded by optional donations through its own members. The program is 100% free to join and attend. Members don’t pay any fees. Optional collections are taken during the meeting but are not mandatory.
A: At NA meetings, you’ll meet people who have been clean for different periods of time. People will support your quest to get and remain clean for life. You will receive respect and encouragement as you listen and share your drug addiction experiences.
You won’t be required to do or believe anything. But you may get suggestions as you work the 12 steps.
A: Narcotics Anonymous is a non-profit organization, which charges no fees or dues to its members. We do not have medical staff or professional counselors to treat or advise our members. We do not present ourselves as professionals to the addicts that come to us seeking recovery. We offer ourselves as addicts, the same as them, who have learned how to stop using drugs, lost the desire to use drugs and have found a new way to live.
A: NA does not care about what you have done in the past, we only care about what you want to do about your problem and how we can help.
A: If the meeting is an “open meeting” labeled with an “O” next to it on the meeting directory, then yes you can bring your child or children. But we ask that you please help your children remain quiet, as there are other addicts at the meeting seeking recovery. It is suggested that you bring coloring books and crayons or a video device with a headset for your children to entertain themselves with during the meeting.
A: GCRC stands for Gold Coast Recovery Center (commonly referred to locally as the “garage”), it is only a host for meetings and events and is wholly separate from Narcotics Anonymous just like another church or other meeting location is separate from NA. The GCRC is simply a host for NA meetings, (see Tradition 6).