Narcotics Anonymous is a free support group for people who want to stop using drugs and stay clean. It brings together people from all walks of life who share one goal: recovery.
In this post, you’ll learn about the mission of Narcotics Anonymous, how their meetings and support system work, and the helpful tools and steps they offer for anyone facing addiction.
The Core Mission of NA
NA began in the early 1950s in Los Angeles, California. It was inspired by Alcoholics Anonymous (AA), but made specifically for people struggling with drug addiction, including alcohol.
NA has one simple mission: To give people struggling with addiction a safe place to help each other stop using drugs and find a new way to live.
At first, NA grew slowly, reaching other cities in the U.S. and then countries like Australia in the 1970s. After NA published its main book – the Basic Text – in 1983, it started spreading even faster around the world.
Today, NA is truly global. It holds over 70,000 meetings each week in 144 countries, and its materials are available in 55 languages, with more translations coming. NA is a place where people from all backgrounds, regardless of their location or language, can come together to support one another in their recovery.
What NA Does and Doesn’t Do
NA is not connected to any other groups like rehab centers, hospitals, courts, or churches. It doesn’t give out medical, legal, or financial advice, and it doesn’t run clinics or treatment programs. There are no professional therapists or counselors. Everyone in NA is there because they want to get clean and stay clean together.
To stay focused on recovery, NA avoids getting involved in politics, religion, or hot topics. NA does not take sides on:
- Drug laws or legalization
- Medical treatments
- Social or legal issues
- Public health programs like needle exchanges
- Religion or moral beliefs
NA believes its strength comes from sticking to one purpose: helping people recover from drug addiction through shared experience, community, and personal growth.
Key Principles Behind NA
NA is based on a few core ideas that help people recover from addiction. These include the following:
1. Abstinence
This means not using any drugs at all, including alcohol. NA believes that stopping all drug use is the best way to heal and live a better life.
It doesn’t matter what kind of drugs someone used: heroin, pills, alcohol, or a combination of these. In NA, all types of drug addiction are treated the same. What matters is the desire to stop using and stay clean.
2. Anonymity
Anonymity means that members don’t share each other’s names or stories outside of meetings. This creates a safe and private space where people feel comfortable opening up.
It also reminds everyone that no one is more important than anyone else. Everyone is equal in recovery.
3. Mutual Support
NA is run by people who are recovering from addiction themselves. No doctors or therapists are leading the group, just other addicts who want to help each other stay clean.
One of the most powerful parts of NA is this:
Addicts helping other addicts.
Members talk honestly about their struggles, their wins, and how they stay clean. This support makes a big difference, especially because members understand each other in ways others might not.
4. Everyone Is Welcome
NA doesn’t care what kind of drugs you used or how long you used them. If you want help to stop, you are welcome.
When NA adapted its First Step from Alcoholics Anonymous (AA), they used the word “addiction” instead of “alcohol”. This change was made so that the program could work for people addicted to any substance, not just alcohol.
NA sees addiction as a disease, not a moral failure. That means recovery is possible for everyone, and no one is judged.
How It All Comes Together
NA combines the Twelve Steps (a set of spiritual and personal growth tools) with peer support (meetings and connections with others in recovery).
These tools help people learn how to:
- Stay drug-free
- Handle life’s ups and downs
- Build better habits
- Live with purpose and self-respect
The shared journey and the principles of abstinence, anonymity, and support are what make NA work for so many people.
The 12 Steps of Narcotics Anonymous
The following steps are about learning to live without drugs and becoming the best version of yourself with the help of others who understand what you’re going through.
1. We admitted we were powerless over our addiction, that our lives had become unmanageable.
2. Came to believe that a Power greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity.
3. Made a decision to turn our will and our lives over to the care of God as we understood Him.
4. Made a searching and fearless moral inventory of ourselves.
5. Admitted to God, to ourselves, and to another human being the exact nature of our wrongs.
6. Were entirely ready to have God remove all these defects of character.
7. Humbly asked Him to remove our shortcomings.
8. Made a list of all persons we had harmed and became willing to make amends to them all.
9. Made direct amends to such people wherever possible, except when to do so would injure them or others.
10. Continued to take personal inventory and when we were wrong promptly admitted it.
11. Sought through prayer and meditation to improve our conscious contact with God as we understood Him, praying only for knowledge of His will for us and the power to carry that out.
12. Having had a spiritual awakening as the result of these steps, we tried to carry this message to addicts, and to practice these principles in all our affairs.
Whether someone is new to recovery or has been clean for years, the Twelve Steps help them stay focused, grow as a person, and live a better life without drugs.
How NA Meetings Work
The main way NA helps people is through group meetings. These meetings are the heart of the program.
NA meetings are usually held in places like:
- Churches
- Community centers
- Libraries
- Hospitals or clinics
The groups rent or borrow space, but they are not connected to the building or the group that owns it. NA meetings are run by the members themselves, not professionals or outside organizations.
Local and Global Support
In places where NA is still new, meetings may be the only form of support. But in areas where there are many NA groups, they often form local service committees. These committees help by:
- Giving out NA books and pamphlets
- Running helplines
- Talking to hospitals, schools, jails, or rehab centers about NA
- Keeping lists of all local NA meetings
In larger countries, these local groups form regional committees to coordinate services over a bigger area. All of this helps NA grow and reach more people.
There is also a worldwide group called the World Service Conference, which guides NA’s global efforts. They help new NA communities get started and translate NA materials into other languages.
Who Runs the Meetings?
There’s no leader or boss in an NA meeting. The people attending the meeting take turns leading. These members are also in recovery and are just like everyone else in the group.
At a meeting:
- One member may lead or “chair” the session.
- Other members are welcome to share their stories, struggles, or progress.
- Everyone works together to help run the meeting, setting up chairs, greeting newcomers, cleaning up afterward, and so on.
Different Types of NA Meetings
NA groups may choose different formats, such as:
- Open meetings – Anyone can attend, including family, friends, or professionals just wanting to learn.
- Closed meetings – Only for people who want to stop using drugs.
- Speaker meetings – One person shares their story for most of the meeting.
- Step or literature study meetings – The group reads NA literature or goes over the 12 Steps together.
Each group decides how to run its meeting, but all follow the core values and ideas of NA, found in its official books and guides.
Who Can Attend?
Anyone who wants to stop using drugs is welcome. It doesn’t matter:
- What drug they used
- How long they’ve used
- If they’ve been to meetings before
- If they’re still struggling
There are no fees or membership requirements. NA is free. The only thing needed is the desire to stop using.
How to Find a Meeting
You don’t need an invitation. Anyone can attend a meeting, whether it’s your first or your hundredth. To find a meeting, you can:
- Visit the official NA website
- Use their online meeting directory
- Download a meeting finder app (some local NA areas have apps)
- Call the SAMHSA Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357) to connect you with treatment and local NA meetings.
- Ask someone in recovery or a counselor to help you find one
Many groups now offer virtual meetings, which means you can join by phone or video from anywhere, even from home.
How to Get Started with NA
Many people who struggle with addiction feel alone and cut off from family and friends. NA understands that. According to a 2018 survey:1
- 91% of NA members said their family relationships improved after joining.
- 87% said they felt more connected to others.
This shows that recovery in NA doesn’t just help people stop using drugs; it helps them rebuild their lives.
Helpful NA Resources
NA has a variety of tools to support your recovery:
The Basic Text
This is NA’s main book. It shares the stories of people in recovery and explains the NA program. It also outlines the Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions.
Workbooks
These include tools like the Step Working Guides, which help members work through each of the 12 Steps in a thoughtful way.
Daily Meditations
NA offers short readings like Just for Today for each day of the year. These readings offer encouragement and wisdom to help you stay focused and strong.
All of these materials are written by and for recovering addicts, making them relatable and practical.
The Role of a Sponsor
As you attend meetings, you might hear about sponsors. A sponsor is someone who has been in recovery longer and is willing to help guide you through the Twelve Steps. They’ve walked the path and now help others walk it too.
A sponsor is like a trusted recovery friend, someone you can call when things get tough, ask questions, or check in with. You don’t have to find one right away, but most members find that having a sponsor helps.
You can also check out treatment centers like OceanRock Health and SouthCoast Counseling, which offer professional care and programs for people facing addiction and mental health challenges. Whether you’re looking for peer support or professional help, there are many ways to begin your journey toward healing.
Source:
- (n.d.). Information about NA [Review of Information about NA]. In Narcotics Anonymous. Narcotics Anonymous World Services, Inc. https://na.org/
