Both Narcotics Anonymous meetings and Alcoholics Anonymous meetings are essentially the same 12-step program and dynamic of fellowship. It’s a group of people who come together to work a similar program who want the same thing, long-term sobriety. You maybe on the fence about going to one of these meetings. You maybe wondering what they’re like from an unbiased perspective of someone who’s attended many. If so, you’ve came to the right place. As an addict in recovery with over 4 years of sobriety I’ve attended many meetings and can summarize the experiences I had and things you should know.
Narcotics Anonymous Meetings & Alcoholics Anonymous Meetings
The first thing anyone should know before attending these meetings is the experience can vary. Each meeting has it’s own dynamic of individuals who come together as a group. You may go to one that’s overly-religious or “preachy” and go to another where people are the direct opposite. You may prefer a religious approach, or an atheistic approach. Regardless, attending many meetings will ensure you find the right fit for you. Off the bat, Celebrate Recovery is a Christian based recovery support group, so if you aren’t Christian I’d avoid even trying those.
Why Anonymous?
Narcotics Anonymous meetings take anonymity at the level of press, radio, and film very seriously as well as Alcoholics Anonymous meetings, but why? It’s because they know that no one meeting represents the 12 steps to perfection. An example is how Westboro Baptist Church damaged the reputation of the Christian faith for all churches through their infamous press. Someone might of found joy from the Christian faith, but they’ve been permanently turned off by a single false misrepresentation. Along with groups, this pertains to the individual as well. No single person represents the embodiment of the 12-step program that’s the core of AA and NA. If someone has a bumper sticker that says something about them being a member of AA and drives like a prick, he’s telling everyone that AA is full of lousy people. This can turn off someone who’s suffering or someone who knows a suffering addict from ever attending when it could of saved their life. Even AA and NA know that meetings and individuals within meetings vary dramatically. There are some of the greatest people and some of the sickest within the walls of AA and NA.
The Bottom Line
The bottom line is getting sober alone is miserable and you have nothing to lose to “meeting shop”. Sometimes taking action can attribute to long-term sobriety merely by being an outward symbol of an inward desire to remain sober. Going to a meeting may not enlighten you but at least you are taking an action that communicates to yourself, “I want to be sober,” and actions speak louder than words. Furthermore, you won’t be alone. You will be in a room of people who understand to some extent what you’re going through. Who knows, you may love the program and fellowship and make tons of great friends with a platform to give back to others. You have nothing to lose by trying but the world to lose by staying in addiction.
I hope this helped clarify what Alcoholics Anonymous meetings and Narcotics Anonymous meetings are like. Check out the embedded video for a more thorough video explanation from the author of this article!
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Philip Markoff (Associate of Science) is an online influencer and thought leader on addiction education; he is known as his alias “CG Kid” who’s obtained a large audience primarily on YouTube as a vlogger and journalist. His current sobriety date from polysubstance chemical dependency is June 9th, 2013.