Month: September 2025

Narcotics Anonymous Promotion and Attraction

I started attending Narcotics Anonymous in 2002. I bought a Fifth Edition of the Basic Text. I bought a step-working guide (some call it ‘the flat book’) and found a sponsor. I have always had a home group since I was three months clean. I was involved in service for NA at many levels including regional and attended events. My whole life was work, family and NA. I tried to balance those things, and it was hard to achieve. I always wanted more. I hoped that Narcotics Anonymous would give me everything I wanted.

Complete Recovery

When I started studying the history of Narcotics Anonymous, I came to see terms like ‘recovering addict’, ‘recovered addict’ and ‘complete recovery.’ The Basic Text includes a chapter called ‘We Do Recover’ so I started to talk to other members about their experiences.   

Yet there are others, completely abstinent, whose dishonesties and self-deceits still prevent them from enjoying complete recovery and acceptance within society.

Narcotics Anonymous, Basic Text, Second Edition (published 1982), Chapter 7, ‘Relapse and Recovery’

About ten years ago I discovered how sick addicts can be. Complete abstinence is not a measure of health. How people act speaks more about who they are than what they share. I have learned to watch people more and keep my distance. I learned that I lack the ability to participate in social situations in a healthy manner.  That is fine with me. I surrender and accept that I have a role in the world today. I cannot define what complete recovery means for someone else, but I did learn what it means for me. My recovery includes service.  This helps me overcome self-obsession. Service gives me purpose but even that can be impacted by my disease.

Tradition Four

Tradition Four of Narcotics Anonymous provides a great deal of information about the function and purpose of an NA Group.

 Narcotics Anonymous is a Fellowship of men and women; addicts meeting in groups and using a given set of spiritual principles to find freedom from addiction and a new way to live. All else is not N.A. Those things we mentioned are the result of members caring enough to reach out and offer their help and experience so that our road might be easier. Whether we choose to utilize these services is up to the group…

A Narcotics Anonymous group is any meeting which meets regularly at a specified place and time for the purpose of recovery provided that it follows the Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions of Narcotics Anonymous…

to provide a suitable and reliable environment for personal recovery and to promote such recovery.

Narcotics Anonymous Basic Text, 2nd Edition, Chapter 6, Tradition 4

Using and Service

The process of recovery for me has been to ‘stop using, lose the desire to use, and learn a new way to live’. I work with other addicts in my home group regularly. My defects come out in familiar and sometimes new patterns. When I act on my defects, I feel like I am using. I try to remain vigilant. When I am trying to ‘be of service’, I find I am open to suggestions. Working with others becomes easier as I practice spiritual principles in all areas of my life. My home group grows, and the Fellowship strengthens as we all share the burden of service. I have seen newcomers, attending regularly finding they could stop using drugs, even if it is just for an hour. I believe that stop is an action, and the action can be thought of as service. Gratitude is an action, and an expression of my love for the life I live today.

Outside of Narcotics Anonymous

I decided to enjoy complete recovery and acceptance in society. I understand from literature that the barriers would be dishonesty and self-deception. I can accept those conditions. I will always maintain a relationship with Narcotics Anonymous. Helping home group members and working with newcomers brings joy to my life. I offer my time, my efforts and my experience to my home group. As I work with others in and out of NA, my experience grows. I do not know if I am a better version of myself today, but I can certainly contribute to society in a meaningful way.

Some believe that Narcotics Anonymous can evolve and have service structures. I am not convinced that is possible. Some see a lack of professionalism and a high level of disorganization as acceptable. I do not. I prefer the older literature and the principles it contains. I like to offer my help and experience to make the road easier. The lines are blurred between what is and what is not Narcotics Anonymous. My circle is wide today and many people do not know that recovery is possible or if Narcotics Anonymous is available. I remain committed to public information. I often find I work alone but I can promote my recovery in the rooms of NA. If someone finds my ideas attractive, then I can try to work together with another addict. ‘Me’ becomes ‘We’ and Fellowship grows.

Anonymity, Autonomy and a Place to Call Home.

Home Sweet Home

My Narcotics Anonymous Home Group is thriving. That isn’t just my opinion. Visitors and regulars alike talk about the amazing atmosphere of recovery.  We are doing more than a dozen meetings per week. We have a steady stream of newcomers, regulars and visitors. Our website attracts between one hundred and three hundred visitors per day. The freedom I have experienced in my life is unparalleled and I attribute that to the wide and diverse base of members. I have never experienced such joy.  I would say I have the perfect home group. I know we must have problems, but I am unsure of what they are. Each time I try to define one, a discussion with other members suggests otherwise. It is perplexing at the very least. I find it difficult to let go of my preconceived notions.

Our Literature reminds us that defects can drive us into a corner that we can’t come out of Clean. Fear, guilt and resentment often causes our motives to have motives. These defects of character can cloud our thinking and decisions. The disease of addiction often manifests its self – obsession and fantasy. What we really need is Spiritual Principles, which is the opposite of that. Spirituality is often described in Narcotics Anonymous, as having the Right Relationship with Reality.

Narcotics Anonymous, Grey Book Reflections, August 30th daily reading.

The worst manifestation of my disease today is manipulation and control. I believe I have found a solution.  

A Commitment to Service

Narcotics Anonymous literature says that we meet regularly to help each other. I have not found any rules or a framework that establishes what that looks like. My understanding today is that NA is not a self-help program. Some meetings are full of self-seekers but attendance does not constitute recovery.  I maintain healthy boundaries. I believe that Fellowship is the sum of our contributions. What you contribute might not be clear to anyone else. My contributions have benefited my recovery.  I try to be honest with myself about how I contribute. I see that there is a difference between a recovering and recovered addict that can only be defined by my actions. I do my own inventory.

Sometimes the only reason I go to an NA meeting is because I am lonely and using NA is safer than using alone. Even these actions contribute to the Fellowship.  My home group is always grateful that I show up. I feel safe at my home group, and I realize that it is the unconditional love of that Fellowship that helps me. Contributing to that love rather than using it has benefited me tremendously. I find that helping others is unparalleled. The sum of the contributions is much greater than anything I could do alone.  Sometimes we do work alone and like many others, I have ideas that I think would benefit our Fellowship. Many others have ideas. Oppression opposes unity so I try and remain open-minded. I need to have a clear idea of what autonomy and anonymity mean.

Anonymity

We rarely talk about anonymity at my home group. Learning about the meaning seems to come from shared experiences and surrender to new ideas.

TRADITION TWELVE

“Anonymity is the spiritual foundation of all our Traditions, ever reminding us to place principles before personalities.”

A dictionary definition of anonymity is “a state of bearing no name.” In keeping with this, the “I” becomes “we.” The spiritual foundation becomes more important than any one particular group or individual.

As we find ourselves growing closer together the awakening of humility occurs.

Narcotics Anonymous, 2nd Edition, Chapter 6, Tradition 12.

Step Eleven reminds us to ‘give thanks for God’s grace.’ I believe I am clean today by God’s grace, and the gratitude I express is in my actions. My actions should align with the spiritual principles I have learned.

By working together for our common welfare, we achieve the true spirit of anonymity.

 Narcotics Anonymous, 2nd Edition, Chapter 6, Tradition 12.

Common welfare and unity are tightly connected. My solutions to the problems of daily living become our solutions. When I tell you about my problems and how you can help, it opens the door to new ideas. When I work alone, in service to my home group, my actions should align with the principles of the group. I learn to be accountable, and I learn to communicate without fear of exposure. My survival is tied to the survival of the group.

Autonomy

Group autonomy is set forth in the Fourth Tradition of Narcotics Anonymous.

The autonomy of our groups is necessary for our survival. A dictionary defines autonomous as “having the right or power of self-government…undertaken or carried on without outside control.” This means our groups are self-governing and are not subject to outside control. Every group has had to stand and grow on its own.

One might ask, “Are we truly autonomous? What about our service committees, our offices, activities, and all the other things that go on in N.A.?” The answer is that these things are not N.A.

Narcotics Anonymous Basic Text, 2nd Edition, Chapter 6, Tradition 4

I used to believe that we came together regularly to hold a group conscience meeting. Members of the group were encouraged to attend and participate. I see things differently.  Our parking lot discussions are critical to our success. I talk regularly with home group members and share openly about the problems we experience.  Some members may never attend a business meeting but are able to fully participate in the direction of the group. When I am a servant of the group, the onus is on me to have a clear understanding of the needs of the group. Outside influences or my own opinions can become tools of oppression and cause disunity. I rely on the group to communicate. I try to act in the best interest of the common welfare of the group. My group continues to grow, and I have an idea for strengthening our ties.

Structure

The principles I have learned to apply from Narcotics Anonymous have given me tremendous abundance. I love to participate and work with others to benefit society. By working with others, I have experienced new ways of doing things. In British Columbia, Canada, you can form a member funded, non-profit society. I’m sure this is a common tool in other places.  Forming a society makes things like opening a bank account easier. Banking is becoming a challenge.  My home group has grown to a size where we might benefit from better financial tools.

Literature

Downloading literature for free is available on many websites even as the NAWS Corporation tries to prevent it. Support for the NAWS corporation has dwindled to a small minority of groups. Our group makes both current and historical literature available to anyone requesting an electronic copy.  Literature studies have strengthened our group. It would be easy for a non-profit society to create and sell literature at cost. Kindle ‘Print on Demand’ is relatively simple to set up. Some would prefer a physical book. A 2nd Edition Basic Text (first 10 chapters) would cost about seven dollars (USD), and a Grey Book Reflections about eleven dollars.

Moving forward

There is no other direction than to move forward. Some see a need to take on responsibilities and form a closer connection with the group. Each connection forged creates a stronger connection with reality. The Fellowship I experience daily strengthens my resolve to fully participate in the group. I know that any outside influence on my group is not NA, but everything needs to be considered and discussed with home group members. We forge ties that bind us together to strengthen our recovery and unite in service to the still suffering addict. The skills I learned, and the strength of the bonds, help me in forming relationships outside of NA. Just for today, I can enjoy complete recovery and acceptance in society.