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Welcome to Narcotics Anonymous

What is our message? The message is that an addict, any addict, can stop using drugs, lose the desire to use, and find a new way to live. Our message is hope and the promise of freedom.

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“When new members come to meetings, our sole interest is in their desire for freedom from active addiction and how we can be of help.”

It Works: How and Why, “Third Tradition”

Is NA for me?

This is a question every potential member must answer for themselves. Here are some recommended resources that may be helpful:

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NA meetings are run by and for addicts. If you’re looking for help for a loved one, you can contact Narcotics Anonymous near you. 

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Never before have so many clean addicts, of their own choice and in free society, been able to meet where they please, to maintain their recovery in complete creative freedom.

Basic Text, “We Do Recover”

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Narcotics Anonymous sprang from the Alcoholics Anonymous Program of the late 1940s, with meetings first emerging in the Los Angeles area of California, USA, in the early Fifties. The NA program started as a small US movement that has grown into one of the world’s oldest and largest organizations of its type.

Today, Narcotics Anonymous is well established throughout much of the Americas, Western Europe, Australia, and New Zealand. Newly formed groups and NA communities are now scattered throughout the Indian subcontinent, Africa, East Asia, the Middle East, and Eastern Europe. Narcotics Anonymous books and information pamphlets are currently available in 61 languages.

Information About NA

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Daily Meditations

Just for Today

November 03, 2026

No matter what
Page 321
“We eventually have to stand on our own feet and face life on its own terms, so why not from the start.“
Basic Text, p. 88
Some of us feel that we should protect newcomers by telling them that, while everything used to be horrible, now we’re in recovery it’s all wonderful. We feel that we might scare someone away if we speak of pain or difficulties, broken marriages, being robbed, and the like. In a sincere and well-intentioned desire to carry the message, we tend to talk glowingly only about what’s going well in our lives.

But most newcomers already suspect the truth, even if they’ve only been clean for a few days. Chances are that the “life on life’s terms” the average newcomer is experiencing is quite a bit more stressful than what the average oldtimer deals with each day. If we do manage to convince a newcomer that everything becomes rosy in recovery, we had better make sure we are there to support that newcomer when something goes wrong in his or her life.

Perhaps we simply need to share realistically about how we use the resources of Narcotics Anonymous to accept “life on life’s terms,” whatever those terms may be on any given day. Recovery, and life itself, contain equal parts of pain and joy. It is important to share both so the newcomer can know that we stay clean no matter what.

Just for Today: I will be honest with the newcomers I share with and let them know that, no matter what life brings, we never have to use drugs again.

A Spiritual Principle a Day

November 02, 2026

Being Vigilant in the Here and Now
Page 317
“We must be willing to do whatever is necessary to recover.“
Basic Text, Chapter 9: Just for Today—Living the Program
“I always remind myself: Yesterday’s recovery won’t keep me clean today,” a self-described chronic relapser shared as they celebrated a major milestone. “Vigilance–right here, right now–has been key for me,” they explained. “I learned the hard way that the real work of recovery is that I have to be willing to do whatever’s necessary. And I need to take time to be still and figure out what that is at any given moment.” As spiritual principles go, vigilance is kind of a rock star. It’s thick with meaning, pairing watchfulness with deliberate action. We start our practice of vigilance simply by paying attention. We level up from basic abstinence to a meaningful recovery when we choose to be active in our program, self-reflective, and flexible, fine-tuning our approach as our personal program evolves. In the beginning, going to lots of meetings and not taking anything between them has the desired effect; a clear head and a bit of hope make for a great start. It’s enough to keep us coming back. Listening to other members’ stories makes us want more. A member shared, “If I want more out of my program, I’ve got to put more in.” Inspired, we get a sponsor, cultivate a relationship with a Higher Power, and make steady progress through the Steps. As a result, we get more and more comfortable in our own skin. Vigilance helps us to settle into our new way of life, applying what we’ve learned about spiritual principles in our daily affairs. We make time to reflect and fine-tune our approach as we move through life clean. As we remain watchful, we may notice that our emotional life, our thinking, our physical selves, or spiritual condition will still get out of whack from time to time. That’s because we’re human and because things change. But life’s lessons have revealed a process for navigating through our difficulties, regaining focus, and reconnecting with ourselves, those who care about us, and a Higher Power.
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I am an addict every day, but today I choose to be a recovering addict. I’m willing to do what’s necessary to care for my spiritual condition and stay watchful over my program.

Do you need help with a drug problem?

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“If you’re new to NA or planning to go to a Narcotics Anonymous meeting for the first time, it might be nice to know a little bit about what happens in our meetings. The information here is meant to give you an understanding of what we do when we come together to share recovery…” 

An Introduction to NA Meetings

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