Attending your first meeting can be a very new experience. We have our own way of saying things, and many of our concepts can seem hard to understand at first. Our message is that, any addict can stop using, lose the desire to use, and find a new way of life. Remember, keep an open mind and give yourself a break. Here is a little bit about what you can expect at your fist meeting.

Our meetings are a place where addicts come together to share their experience, strength, and hope. It is at our meetings that we achieve a common path to recovery.

Here in this area, our meetings are very diverse. We have over 40 meetings (or Groups), several of them each day. Most of our Groups meet once or twice a week, though we have one Group that meets every day and some that meet each week day.

Narcotics Anonymous is self supporting, so many of our meetings rent a room from a church, because we can afford the rent. We are not affiliated with any of the meeting places, we do not allow them to influence us and we make no endorsements. Other meetings in our area can be found at Hospitals, a self help center, a treatment center, a recreation center and even a homeless shelter. Regardless of where we rent space, our meetings are autonomous and anonymous.

We know that the power of one addict helping another is without parallel. Our meetings are held by addicts for addicts. We do not hold classes,  we do meet regularly to share our experience, strength and hope so that we can help each other stay clean and recover from the disease of addiction. Most of our meetings are open to anyone who wishes to attend although many meetings ask that only addicts share. The only requirement for membership is a desire to stop using. Anyone is a member when they say they are. There are no fees or dues, and nobody is asked to promise anything.

When you arrive, you may find people standing out front, smoking (because of local laws, most of our meetings are non-smoking) or having conversations. Once inside, you will usually find a coffee pot, and more addicts. Every meeting space is different. Some have couches, some have comfortable chairs, and some are in folding metal seating. Some meetings are held by candlelight. Most are held in a circle to promote the feeling of equality and anonymity. Don’t be surprised if you are offered a hug or two. At NA we hug each other instead of shaking hands. This is to promote an atmosphere based on unity, understanding and fellowship. It is hard to judge, or feel judged by someone you’ve just hugged.

We start our meetings by sharing some suggested readings (you will find those readings below so check them out). The meetings are then often opened up for sharing between addicts about their experience, what is going on in their recovery, or a specific topic of recovery. We do not cross talk in our meetings, which means that one person talks at a time and we do not comment on what others have said or interrupt. Members share their own experience, strength, and hope with each other, rather than telling one another what to do. This is so that everyone at the meeting can feel comfortable sharing. We do not usually limit sharing to any one subject but we do often pick a topic and usually ask that sharing is about recovery.

Some meetings have a speaker once or twice a month. This is an addict with experience, strength and hope who shares their life story, or speaks on a particular subject of recovery. In other meetings the chairperson will pick a topic of recovery, or a chapter from our Basic Text book will be read and discussed.

At some point our meetings may be interrupted to pass around a basket. This is in accordance to our seventh traditions which states that “NA groups ought to be full self supporting”. Nobody is asked to contribute and newcomers are often asked not to. It is common to contribute a dollar. The money collected is used to buy literature (given free at most meetings), pay for the coffee (almost no meeting is without coffee), and pay rent.

Our meeting often end with a celebration of clean time. Members mark certain lengths of continuous clean time by collecting colored tags or medallions, and often are asked to share how they stayed clean. Afterwards announcements are made. Sometimes the group’s secretary will read announcements from the area, or ask for information from other groups. We then close the meeting by forming a circle and saying a prayer. Since this is a spiritual, not religious fellowship, no particular religion or belief system is acknowledged in our prayer. Often we simply use the Serenity Prayer. “God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the strength to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference”.     Again, our meetings are very diverse.

Each group decides how to do things. We are spread across the area in many different types of meeting spaces. We suggest that you try a variety of our meetings, and find one or two that you feel at home in. Then attend regularly. Many suggest 90 meetings in the first 90 days. Find someone you can relate to and can trust and ask them to sponsor you. Most importantly, keep coming back. Those who come to our meetings regularly, Stay Clean.