This page is for any member of the PUBLIC or MEDIA interested in more information about Narcotics Anonymous
Narcotics Anonymous is a global, community-based organization with a multi-lingual
and multicultural membership. NA was founded in 1953, and our membership
growth was minimal during our initial twenty years as an organization. Since the
publication of our Basic Text in 1983, the number of members and meetings has
increased dramatically. Today*, NA members hold nearly 67,000 meetings weekly
in 139 countries. We offer recovery from the effects of addiction through working
a twelve-step program, including regular attendance at group meetings. The group
atmosphere provides help from peers and offers an ongoing support network for
addicts who wish to pursue and maintain a drug-free lifestyle.
*as of April 2016
Our name, Narcotics Anonymous, is not meant to imply a focus on any particular drug;
NA’s approach makes no distinction between drugs, including alcohol. Membership is free, and we have no affiliation with any organizations outside of NA including governments, religions, law enforcement groups, or medical and psychiatric associations. Through all of our service efforts and our cooperation with others seeking to help addicts, we strive to reach a day when every addict in the world has an opportunity to experience our message of recovery in their own language and culture.
Who are members of NA?
Anyone who wants to stop using drugs may become a member of Narcotics Anonymous.
Membership is not limited to addicts using any particular drug. Those who feel they may have a problem with drugs, legal or illegal, including alcohol, are welcome in NA. Recovery in NA focuses on the problem of addiction, not on any particular drug.
Anonymity
The basic premise of anonymity allows addicts to attend meetings without fear of legal or social repercussions. This is an important consideration for an addict thinking about going to a meeting for the first time. Anonymity also supports an atmosphere of equality in meetings. It helps ensure that no individual’s personality or circumstance will be considered more important than the message of recovery shared in NA. NA meetings NA’s primary approach to recovery is its belief in the therapeutic value of one addict helping another. Members take part in NA meetings by talking about their experiences and recovery from drug addiction. NA meetings are informally structured, held in space rented by the group, and are led by members who take turns opening and closing the meeting. NA meetings and other services are funded entirely by member contributions and the sale of recovery literature. Financial contributions from non-members are not accepted. Most NA meetings are held regularly at the same time and place each week, usually in a public facility. There are two basic types of meetings those that are open to the general public and those closed to the public (for addicts only). Meetings vary widely in format.
Some formats are participation, speaker, question and answer, topic discussion, and some have a combination of these formats. The function of any meeting is always the same: to provide a suitable and reliable environment for personal recovery.
How does NA work?
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 guidelines outlining a practical approach to recovery. By following these guidelines and working closely with other members, addicts learn to stop using drugs and face the challenges of daily living. Narcotics Anonymous is not a religious organization and does not mandate any particular belief system. It does teach basic spiritual principles such as honesty, open-mindedness, faith, willingness, and humility that may be applied in everyday life. The specific practical application of spiritual principles is determined by each individual. Recovery in NA is not a miracle cure that happens within a given period of time. It is a process, ongoing and personal. Members make an individual decision to join and recover at their own pace.
Why Public Relations Is Important to the NA Member
The Narcotics Anonymous message is “that an addict, any addict, can stop using drugs, lose the desire to use and find a new way to live.” Our relations with the public enable us to share this message broadly so that those who might benefit from our program of recovery can find us. We perform public relations services to increase the awareness and credibility of the NA program. We share our message openly with the public at large, with prospective members, and with professionals. Maintaining an open, attractive attitude in these efforts helps us to create and improve relationships with those outside the fellowship. Establishing and maintaining a commitment to these relationships can help us to further our primary purpose. The spiritual principles of our steps, traditions, and concepts guide us in pursuing our public relations aims and our efforts to enhance NA’s public image and reputation. These principles apply to our community and service efforts as well as to the personal behavior and attitude of individual NA members.
"Public Relations Helps Addicts Find NA"
The following Information Pamphlets are available for the Public or Media:
- Information on how Narcotics Anonymous is a resource in your community: NA Resource in Your Community-1 PDF
- For more in depth information about Narcotics Anonymous: Information_about_NA PDF