Who are we?
NA (Narcotics Anonymous) is a non-profit fellowship or society of men and women for whom drugs had become a major problem. We are recovering addicts who meet regularly to help each other to stay clean. There are no dues or fees. The only requirement for membership is the desire to stop using.
You don’t have to be clean when you get here, but after your first NA meeting we suggest that you keep coming back and come clean. You don’t have to wait for an overdose or jail sentence to get help from NA, nor is addiction a hopeless condition from which there is no recovery. It is possible to overcome the desire to use drugs with the help of the Twelve Step program of Narcotics Anonymous and the fellowship of recovering addicts.
Addiction is a disease that can happen to anyone. Some of us used drugs because we enjoyed them, while others used to suppress the feelings we already had. Still others suffered from physical or mental ailments and became addicted to the medication prescribed during our illnesses.
Many of us tried to overcome addiction, and sometimes temporary relief was possible, but it was usually followed by an even deeper involvement than before.
Prefer watching a video?
Watch a video of another member describing what NA meetings are? Please review this external video link: https://youtu.be/RnlIenRksU8?si=R7DD8vRXI1a9rSfz
Why are we here?
Whatever the circumstances, it’s important to remember why you are here. Addiction is a progressive disease such as diabetes; while not curable it can be treated. Our ends are always the same: jails, institutions, or death. If life has become unmanageable and you want to live without the use of drugs, we have found a way… We can help.
Recovery doesn’t stop with just being clean. As we abstain from all drugs (and, yes this means alcohol and marijuana, too) we come face-to-face with feelings that we have never coped with successfully. We even experience feelings we were not capable of having in the past. We must become willing to meet old and new feelings as they come. We learn to experience feelings and realize they can do us no harm unless we act on them. Rather than acting on them, we call an NA member if we have feelings we cannot handle. By sharing, we learn to work through it. Chances are they’ve had a similar experience and can relate what worked for them. Remember, an addict alone is in bad company.
This program offers hope. All you have to bring with you is the desire to stop using and the willingness to try this new way of life. Come to meetings, listen with an open mind, ask questions, get phone numbers and use them. Stay clean just for today.
[Edited; Source: For The Newcomer Pamphlet]
Read more here: 
For The Newcomer (na.org) Pamphlet [PDF]
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- Your First NA Meeting
- Meeting Fundamentals
- Getting a Sponsor