Understanding NA Meetings: How Narcotics Anonymous Works

You can just sit how to store pee and listen and learn more about recovery, or you can share about your situation. Anyone with a desire to stop drinking is welcome, regardless of race, gender, sexual orientation, religion, income or profession.

AA is built upon the premise of therapy via a support group. This has proven to be a very effective model for treating alcoholism because people can draw upon each other for the support they need. At first glance, it may seem as though your choice between AA and NA should be an obvious one. However, as you dig deeper, you’ll realize that’s not the case at all. While there are some similarities between the two groups, there are also some slight differences. You might be an alcoholic who is more comfortable with healing your addiction than blaming alcohol.

Understanding the Differences: AA vs NA

Their focus is also on coming to terms with the pain they have caused themselves as well as others in their lives, healing broken relationships and working to help others overcome their addictions. As you can see, there are many similarities between AA and NA, and it’s easy to get them confused. However, there are some differences between these two groups too, and they include more than just the addict’s chosen substance.

1. This commitment to privacy creates an environment of security where everyone can feel comfortable opening up and sharing their experiences and feelings.
2. Third, and most significantly, AA is unique in its 12 traditions.
3. They include leadership relapse, struggle for consensus about the program, program infidelity and instability, professionalism, issues of money, and limits of inclusion and exclusion.
4. AA meetings are gatherings where recovery from alcoholism is discussed.

Other times, speakers may share their journeys with a major focus on their previous drug or alcohol use. Has been helping alcoholics recover for more than 80 years. A.A.’s program of recovery is built on the simple foundation of one alcoholic sharing with another. It does not is baclofen habit forming accept donations from people or organizations outside of AA. Following his hospital discharge, Wilson joined the Oxford Group and tried to recruit other alcoholics to the group. These early efforts to help others kept him sober, but were ineffective in getting anyone else to join the group and get sober.

If that is how you feel, Narcotics Anonymous might be the better option for you. In looking at the key differences how to wean off 10 mg prozac between these two groups, you can find the right one for you. Here at Northpoint Recovery, we recognize the fact that AA and NA are both important.

How to Find NA Meetings

Those who said AA was not helpful said they couldn’t relate to others in AA groups, found there was too much negativity and complaining, or felt they could handle the problem on their own. For a more detailed description of this work, please see Robinson, Price, Kurtz, and Brower (2009). AA meetings are gatherings where recovery from alcoholism is discussed. One perspective sees them as « quasi-ritualized therapeutic sessions run by and for, alcoholics ».[59] There are a variety of meeting types some of which are listed below. At some point during the meeting a basket is passed around for voluntary donations.

Stephen Strobbe

We would love the opportunity to assist you as you press on to leave your life of addiction behind. Clients rated the importance of 12-Step programs to recovery 8.7 on a 10-point scale with high scores indicating higher importance. Clients rated the helpfulness of 12-Step programs 8.02 on a 10-point scale with high scores indicating high levels of helpfulness. Clients stated that their top two reasons for attending AA and NA were to (1) promote recovery/sobriety and to (2) find support, acceptance, and friendship.

Alexandre B. Laudet

It is centered on surrendering to the care of a higher power. It also stresses the importance of actively deciding to work toward recovery. Members understand and agree that what is said in meetings and who they see there stays there.

While you might feel like the outsider or the newbie at first, give yourself time to get comfortable. If you aren’t ready to share, you can also benefit from simply listening and observing. There are also apps available that can help you find a local meeting or attend a virtual one. The NA Meeting Search app is available for both iOS and Android. Another app you might find helpful is the NA Recovery Companion. When you are ready to attend your first meeting, visit the Narcotics Anonymous website to find a local meeting.

Personal Stories – Part III

Located in Boise, Idaho, Northpoint Recovery is proud to offer quality drug and alcohol detox as well as alcohol and drug rehab and mental health treatment programs in the Treasure Valley. Among those who started NA and AA attendance, the majority (85% and 91%, respectively) stopped NA and AA attendance for a month or longer. Data support the idea that the 12-Step career, like the treatment career, consists of multiple interrupted episodes of participation. In general, 12-Step attendance and involvement decrease over time. Long considered a key component of recovery, 12-step programs are as popular as ever.

The steps of the program can be adapted to suit your individual belief system. Typically, both NA and AA meetings begin with reading the 12 Steps. You may also hear people reciting the serenity prayer or the 12 Traditions. After that, you’ll find that meetings are all quite different from each other. Some meetings may include speakers, or people sharing about their experiences.

Some people may find the 12 steps too rigid or spiritual. SMART Recovery is less rigid, but it’s also less commonly found in communities. CBT costs money and often requires insurance, but some people may benefit from its more holistic and individualized approach. Sometimes, Patterson notes, you may meet someone at a 12-step or SMART meeting who is simply attending these meetings and not getting professional treatment. In some meetings, attendees are invited to share burning desires.