What is The Fellowship of Narcotics Anonymous?
The Basic Text and literature for Narcotics Anonymous did not provide a clear answer to the questions I have about the meaning of fellowship. A book released by the NAWS Corporation entitled ‘The Twelve Concepts for Service in NA’ tries to provide an overview on the meaning of “Fellowship.” The book was never popular with groups and never adopted by group conscience of the NA groups. Most addicts attending meetings today know nothing about the Twelve Concepts and they are not utilized widely by Narcotics Anonymous members. I am committed to the primary purpose of NA and I participate in fellowship as best as I can.
We make use of the tools that have worked for other recovering addicts who have learned to live without drugs in Narcotics Anonymous. The Twelve Steps are positive tools that make recovery possible. Our primary purpose is to stay clean and to carry the message to the addict who still suffers. We are united by our common problem of addiction. By meeting, talking with, and helping other addicts, we are able to stay clean. The newcomer is the most important person at any meeting because we can only keep what we have by giving it away.
Basic Text (all versions), Chapter 2, ‘What is the Narcotics Anonymous Program?’, 3rd Paragraph.
This paragraph never mentions the word fellowship, but it does sum up my ideas about what fellowship means. My lack of support for the Twelve Concepts does not seem to impact my participation in fellowship. I did like one line I read in the Concepts book.
Yet the Twelve Traditions themselves were designed especially to guide the NA groups; they were never intended to provide our service structure with the specific direction it needs to serve by.
NAWS Corporation – The Twelve Concepts for NA Service, Page 1, paragraph 2.
This goes against my understanding of NA. The language violates the Traditions and helps me to understand my place in fellowship and in being part of an NA group.
“NA, as such, ought never be organized, but we may create service boards or committees directly responsible to those they serve.”
Narcotics Anonymous, Tradition 9
I know I can be wrong. I can have opinions not based on experience. I participate based on my understanding of NA. Unity is critical to my recovery regardless of what happens or how I feel. Tradition Four says groups are autonomous, except in things that affect other groups or NA, as a whole. I am autonomous by taking responsibility for my recovery. I learned that from NA members; I have also experienced unity on a deep personal level. How are we to maintain autonomy in groups and as individuals? What is NA, as a whole?
Doing the Same Thing
Some say that insanity is ‘doing the same thing over and over, expecting different results.’ That was one of the phrases I heard Narcotics Anonymous members use frequently when I first started attending. I started to look at my behaviors and saw patterns that fit that definition after I arrived in NA. I tried doing what other members were doing. I was told to listen to old timers when they share their experience, strength and hope. ‘Do what we did to get what we got’ was repeated in one form or another. Life became better than what I had ever known, but it was not perfect.
Life-on-life’s Terms
Everyone gets frustrated with life sometimes and lots of NA members, new and old alike, shared about the struggles. I fell into a stupor of ‘doing the same thing over and over’ and sometimes I had to try to be happy with the results. There was change as I was trying new ways of doing things. I went to a lot of meetings. I was happy most of the time and results had become manageable. ‘Taking responsibility for my recovery’ meant adapting to change. The change was in my actions, but I did not control the outcomes. It was life-on-life’s terms. Faith slowly replaced fear…of change.
Unity
Over time, I grew accustomed to repeating the same patterns and appreciated the predictable results. I tried my best to rely on a higher power for both guidance and strength. I was invested in my recovery. I gravitated to like-minded members and found comfort in the kinship. I was told this was unity. There was comfort in doing the right things for the right reasons, and the support of a fellowship helped manage my actions. I did not see the dangers in repeating the same things repeatedly, or the problems created by enforced conformity. Conformity is an insidious form of the disease of addiction.
Stagnation
I have seen NA fellowships stop growing many times now. I have talked to other members about their experience with this malignancy. Stagnation is worse than death because rebuilding from nothing is often better than a starting on a foundation that is flawed. Fellowships can maintain no growth and little change for many years. I tried to stay in the middle, but it is impossible. I started to realize that members either conform to a specific culture or find themselves outside. The “Fellowship of NA” where I live is no longer inclusive and had become exclusive. There was a clear, repeated pattern of behavior that worked for some but failed for many. I had never heard the term promulgator until I started to research and write about the cult-like activity of some members.
This is an AI summary of promulgator cults.
The concept of a “promulgator” refers to someone who actively spreads, promotes, or declares a specific doctrine or dogma. In this context, an individual becomes a promulgator when they move from merely absorbing an ideology to actively championing, teaching, or aggressively recruiting for it. Sociologists and cult experts, like Robert Jay Lifton and Steven Hassan, identify several key phases in this transformation:
The 3 Stages of Becoming a Promulgator
Indoctrination and Vulnerability: Cults typically target individuals who are idealistic, in transition, or seeking a sense of community or purpose. Through “love bombing” (overwhelming affection and validation), new members are made to feel special while their critical judgment is gradually lowered.
Dependency and Thought Reform: Through coercive persuasion or information management, the member becomes completely dependent on the group. Their individuality is suspended, and they absorb the dogma set forth by the promulgator (the leader or founder).
The Role of the Promulgator: Once thoroughly indoctrinated, the member is often tasked with spreading the doctrine themselves. At this point, the member shifts from a passive follower to an active recruiter, teacher, or enforcer of the group’s rules, thus becoming a promulgator themselves.
The transition is complete when a member loses independent critical thought and adopts the group’s mission as their own primary identity.
Narcotics Anonymous Primary Purpose
It is easy for everyone to agree on what the primary purpose of Narcotics Anonymous is but how that is implemented is not as clear. My experience is that NA groups are the best vehicle to carry a message. Individuals and service structures lose a great deal in their efforts. Members’ commitments can vary but our combined efforts can create an atmosphere of recovery. The collective commitment of home group members is the best method to create an attractive space. I believe what is attractive to newcomers is not the commitment to some ideal but rather the sum of the individual home group member’s commitment to their own recovery. Newcomers finding a solution will often join a home group.
The Right-size of Fellowship
The health of a fellowship seems to be in the growth of a home group. Home Group and Fellowship are interchangeable to me now. Fellowships in NA are fragile, and they require effort. A single promulgator can take a thriving fellowship and create a cult. The resulting chaos results in loss of members, newcomers and any hope the group has of success. I am careful with my words and my actions because I do not want to be that promulgator today. The best defense against relapse, for me, is a strong home group where I work hard to maintain my anonymity. I defend the group conscience ahead of my own personal recovery. Narcotics Anonymous gets along just fine without my opinions. NA suffers the most at the loss of those who never return.