Narcotics Anonymous Southern California Region

Total Page:16

File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb

Narcotics Anonymous Southern California Region Name Phone Number NARCOTICS ANONYMOUS SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA REGION OF NARCOTICS ANONYMOUS MEETING LIST APRIL 2019 To The Newcomer At Narcotics Anonymous, YOU are the most important person; this meeting list is dedicated to you and produced to help you find meetings throughout theSOUTHERN CALIFORNIA REGION OF NARCOTICS ANONYMOUS. The information in this book was as accurate as possible at the time this list was generated. Sometimes groups have to move or change their time. If you go to a listed meeting and it is not there, go to another meeting. If you can, please let us know so that we can correct our meeting list. Regional HELPLINE numbers are (800) TODAYNA or (800) 863-2962 for English and (888) NAAHORA or (888) 622-4672 en Espanol. Online, "Locate Meetings" on the TODAYNA Website at https://todayna.org. We Do Recover “When at the end of the road we find that we can no longer function as a human being, either with or without drugs, we all face the same dilemma. What is there to do? There seems to be this alternative: Either to go on as best we can to the bitter ends - Jails, Institution, or Death - or find a new way to live. In years gone by, very few addicts had this last choice. Those who are addicted today are more fortunate. For the first time in man's entire history, a simple way has been proving itself in the lives of many addicts. It is a simple spiritual, (not religious) program known as NARCOTICS ANONYMOUS.” This booklet is a work in progress intended as a reference for SoCal Regional PhoneLines and others who wish meeting information to download and print (26 pages, double-sided). It captures SoCal BMLT data from Areas and is the best information available when the PDF is generated. Page 50 THE TWELVE STEPS 1. We admitted that we were powerless over our addiction, that our lives had become unmanageable. 2. We came to believe that a Power greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity. 3. We made a decision to turn our will and our lives over to the care of God as we understood Him. 4. We made a searching and fearless moral inventory of ourselves. 5. We admitted to God, to ourselves, and to another human being the exact nature of our wrongs. 6. We were entirely ready to have God remove all these defects of character. 7. We humbly asked Him to remove our shortcomings. 8. We made a list of all persons we had harmed and became willing to make amends to them all. 9. We made direct amends to such people wherever possible, except when to do so would injure them or others. 10. We continued to take personal inventory and when we were wrong promptly admitted it. 11. We sought through prayer and meditation to improve our conscious contact with God as we understood Him, praying only for knowledge of His will for us and the power to carry that out. 12. Having had a spiritual awakening as a result of these steps, we tried to carry this message to addicts, and to practice these principles in all our affairs. Page 2 Meeting Format Legend 1W First Week 1X One Time A Month 3W Third Week 4W Fourth Week AB Ask-It-Basket AR Armenian B Beginners BK Book Study BL Bi-Lingual BT Basic Text C Closed CC Childcare CH Closed Holidays CL Candlelight CS Children under Supervision CW Children Welcome D Discussion ES Espanol FA Farsi G Gay IL Illness IP Informational Pamphlet IW It Works -How and Why JT Just for Today L Lesbian LC Living Clean LGBTQ LGBTQ LW Last Week of the Month M Men ME Meditation NC No Children NS No Smoking O Open OUT Outside QA Question and Answer RA Restricted Attendance RF Rotating Format Rr Round Robin SC Surveillance Cameras SD Speaker/Discussion SG Step Working Guide SL ASL SP Speaker Sm Smoking Permitted St Step TAG Tag TW Traditions Workshop Ti Timer To Topic Tr Tradition W Women W2 Second Week WC Wheelchair YP Young People Helplines Service Body 1 Number 1 Service Body 2 Number 2 Page 3 SUNDAY THE TWELVE TRADITIONS Altadena Sun 7:00PM Bleeding Basic, Enter From Back Parking Lot, 2052 North Lake Avenue, Suite F, Altadena, California, 91001 (O, 1. Our common welfare should come first; personal recovery BK) Anaheim depends on NA unity. Sun 7:30PM Sunday Night Edition of NA Group, Anaheim Alano Club, in room out back, 202 West Broadway, Anaheim, 92805 (O, D) 2. For our group purpose there is but one ultimate authority— a Arcadia loving God as He may express Himself in our group conscience. Sun 7:30PM Solutions On Sunday, Race Track - Gate 7, 34.142048, -118.049662 (Use GPS Coordinates!!!), 2 South Baldwin Avenue, Arcadia, California, 91007 (O, D, To, NS) Our leaders are but trusted servants; they do not govern. Barstow Sun 3:00PM DEA Area Service Meeting - 4th Sunday of the month, Shepard of the Desert Church, Fourth Sunday, 1301 3. The only requirement for membership is a desire to stop using. East Mountain View Street, Barstow, 92311 Sun 6:00PM No Matter What!, First United Methodist Church, Upper parking lot behind church, 404 East Mountain View Street, Barstow, California, 92311 (O, NS) 4. Each group should be autonomous except in matters affecting Canoga Park other groups or NA as a whole. Sun 10:30AM Attitude of Gratitude, Waffle Breakfast last Sunday of the month, 21044 Sherman Way, Canoga Park, 91303 (O, SP, WC, NS, CW) 5. Each group has but one primary purpose—to carry the message to Sun 7:00PM NA Farsi Speaking Meeting, 21044 Sherman Way, Canoga Park, CA, 91303 (O, SD, SP, FA) Sun 7:00PM Sunday Surrender, Presbyterian Church, enter off Glade - upstairs classroom, 22103 Vanowen Street, Canoga the addict who still suffers. Park, 91303 (O, D, To, WC) Sun 7:30PM Fortaleza Y Esperanza, Unit 11, 7033 Canoga Avenue, Canoga Park, 91303 (O, D, ES, WC) 6. An NA group ought never endorse, finance, or lend the NA name Canyon Country to any related facility or outside enterprise, lest problems of Sun 10:00AM Guiding Principles, Recovery Room, 17714 Sierra Highway, Canyon Country, CA, 91351 (O, Tr, TW, WC) Sun 7:00PM Spiritual Awakening, 17714 Sierra Highway, Canyon Country, 91351 (O, CL, To, WC) money, property, or prestige divert us from our primary purpose. Claremont Sun 5:30PM Living Proof, 509 S. College Ave., Claremont, 91711 (O, BT, CS, D, IW, SD, Sm, SP, St, Tr, WC, YP, BK) 7. Every NA group ought to be fully self-supporting, declining outside Corona contributions. Sun 7:30PM Valor, Suite 106, 1450 West 6th Street, Corona, 92882 (C, ES) Costa Mesa 8. Narcotics Anonymous should remain forever nonprofessional, but Sun 10:30AM Costa Mesa, Costa Mesa Alano Club, Between 19th Street, 2040 Placentia Avenue, Costa Mesa, 92627 (O, WC, TAG) our service centers may employ special workers. Sun 7:00PM Round Table, Costa Mesa Alano Club, 2040 Placentia Avenue, Costa Mesa, 92627 (O, D) Covina 9. NA, as such, ought never be organized, but we may create service Sun 1:00PM In Need Of A Meeting, Covina Park, North West side of Park, 434 North 4th Avenue, Covina, 91723 (O, D, IW, BK) Bring a Chair boards or committees directly responsible to those they serve. Sun 8:00PM Sunday Night Grab Bag, Prince of Peace Lutheran Church, 1359 East Covina Boulevard, Covina, California, 91723 (O, D, IP, RF, St, To, CW, TAG) 10. Narcotics Anonymous has no opinion on outside issues; hence the Dana Point NA name ought never be drawn into public controversy. Sun 7:00AM Just for Today Everyday, Fireplace @ Cove Road & Dana Point Harbor Drive, Dana Point Harbor Drive, Dana Point, 92629 (O, D, JT, WC, NS) 11. Our public relations policy is based on attraction rather than Downey Sun 2:30PM Serenity Sunday, Kaiser Hospital, 3rd Floor - Building C - Room O31, 9449 East Imperial Highway, Downey, promotion; we need always maintain personal anonymity at the 90242 (O, D, WC, NS) level of press, radio, and films. Eagle Rock Sun 7:00PM Thanks for Keeping the Doors Open, Upstairs, Room 1, 4848 Eagle Rock Boulevard, Eagle Rock, California, 90041 (O, D, JT, SP, NS) 12. Anonymity is the spiritual foundation of all our Traditions, ever El Monte reminding us to place principles before personalities. Sun 7:00PM Stairway to Heaven, Speaker 3rd Sunday, 3430 Cogswell Road, El Monte, California, 91732 (O) Page 4 Page 49 SATURDAY (CONT) SUNDAY (CONT) Van Nuys Fontana Sat 7:30PM Otra Oportunidad, #204, 13605 Victory Boulevard, Van Nuys, 91401 (O, D, ES) Segundo nivel, frente a Circuit Sun 7:00AM Sunrise Attitude Adjustment, St Luke's Episcopal Church, NO BREAK, 16577 Upland Avenue, Fontana, 92335 City (O, D, JT, WC, CW) Whittier Sun 5:00PM Carry the Message, St Luke's Episcopal Church, Speaker on 3rd Sunday, 16577 Upland Avenue, Fontana, Sat 8:00PM Saturday Night Lite, First Friends Church, Down Stairs, 13205 Philadelphia Street, Whittier, 90601 (O, JT, NS, 92335 (O, D, To) TAG) Sun 7:00PM Leaders choice, St Luke's Episcopal Church, 16577 Upland Avenue, Fontana, 92335 (O, D, SP, WC, CW) Wilmington Fullerton Sat 10:30AM Risking It All, Wilmington Recreation Center - Parking on Bay View Ave, 325 North Neptune Avenue, Sun 10:30AM Saint Jude Hospital Meeting, Saint Jude Medical Center, North Basement Conference Room, 101 East Wilmington, CA, 90744 (M, SD, WC) Valencia Mesa Drive, Fullerton, 92835 (O, D, NC, WC) No Kids Woodland Hills Garden Grove Sat 10:00AM Sharing From The Heart, Woodland Hills Presbyterian Church, 5751 Platt Avenue, Woodland Hills, 91367 (O, Sun NOON Magnolia Park, Magnolia Avenue and Orangewood Avenue if rain 7702 Westminster Boulevard and Beach D, WC) boulevardl, 11402 Magnolia Street, Garden Grove, 92841 (O, D, Sm, OUT) Sat 11:00PM Cat in the Hat, 21050 Ventura Boulevard, Woodland Hills, CA, 91364 (O, RF, SP, WC) Sun NOON Recovery at Noon, 12755 Brookhurst Street
Recommended publications
  • Recovery Supports for Young People with Opioid Use Disorders
    Recovery Supports for Young People with Opioid Use Disorders Amy M. Yule, M.D. Director of Adolescent Addiction Psychiatry at Boston Medical Center Assistant Professor in Psychiatry at Boston University School of Medicine Tuesday, July 14, 2020 12:00 – 1:00 PM EDT Webinar Housekeeping Minimize or maximize the webinar panel by selecting the orange arrow. To be recognized, type your question in the “Question” box and select send. 2 Meet Our Speaker Amy M. Yule, M.D. • Director of Adolescent Addiction Psychiatry at Boston Medical Center • Assistant Professor in Psychiatry at Boston University School of Medicine • Physician scientist with NIH funding and her research interests include risk factors associated with the development of a substance use disorder in adolescents with psychiatric illness, risky behaviors in adolescent substance users, and treatment of substance use disorders when co-occurring with psychiatric illness. • Leading projects focused on evaluating the impact of treating psychopathology in young people on subsequent development of a substance use disorder, and medication treatment for youth with substance use disorders co- occurring with bipolar disorder. 3 Disclosures • I have no financial relationships with an ACCME defined commercial interest 4 Learning Objectives By the end of this presentation, attendees will be able to: 1. Identify family-based interventions for adolescents with substance use disorders. 2. Describe school-based recovery programs for young people with substance use disorders. 3. Describe the research
    [Show full text]
  • Reporting on MHSA
    The Empire Plan OCTOBER 2019 REPORTING ON MENTAL HEALTH & SUBSTANCE ABUSE PROGRAM If you are experiencing mental health or substance use issues, The Empire Plan Mental Health and Substance Abuse (MHSA) Program can help you receive the treatment and care you need. Receiving the appropriate treatment from a network provider or facility can help you get on the right path toward your recovery. For Empire Plan enrollees and for their enrolled dependents, COBRA enrollees with their Empire Plan benefits and Young Adult Option enrollees TABLE OF CONTENTS Benefits of Choosing Receiving the Appropriate Treatment .......... 6 a Network Provider ........................................... 2 Questions and Answers .................................. 8 Finding a Network Provider ............................ 3 Important Terms to Know ................................ 9 Network Benefits ............................................... 4 Signature Facilities ............................................11 Non-network Benefits ...................................... 5 Contact Information ..........................................11 Beware of Patient Brokering and Addiction Treatment Fraud ..................... 5 Resources ...........................................................12 BENEFITS OF CHOOSING A Treatment and Support NETWORK PROVIDER Empire Plan MHSA network facilities also offer medication assisted treatment (MAT) to all enrollees Choosing to receive mental health and substance who are seeking substance use treatment. MAT is use treatment from an Empire
    [Show full text]
  • What Are “Twelve-Step” Programs?
    What are “Twelve-Step” Programs? Traditional Twelve-Step programs outline a course of action for recovering from an addiction whereby participants proceed through twelve core developmental stages. Twelve-Step programs are a form of self-help in which members of a fellowship struggling with the same problem support each other. The Twelve-Step program originated with Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) (http://aa.org). According to AA, the twelve steps are as follows: (1) We admitted we were powerless over alcohol—that our lives had become unmanageable. (2) Came to believe that a Power greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity. (3) Made a decision to turn our will and our lives over to the care of God as we understood Him. (4) Made a searching and fearless moral inventory of ourselves. (5) Admitted to God, to ourselves, and to another human being the exact nature of our wrongs. (6) Were entirely ready to have God remove all these defects of character. (7) Humbly asked Him to remove our shortcomings. (8) Made a list of all persons we had harmed, and became willing tomake amends to them all. (9) Made direct amends to such people wherever possible, except when to do so would injure them or others. (10) Continued to take personal inventory and when we were wrong promptly admitted it. (11) Sought through prayer and meditation to improve our conscious contact with God, as we understood Him, praying only for knowledge of His will for us and the power to carry that out. (12) Having had a spiritual awakening as the result of these Steps, we tried to carry this message to alcoholics, and to practice these principles in all our affairs.
    [Show full text]
  • “Recovery Becomes a Contact Process; We Lose the Fear of Touching and Of
    Volume 34, Number 3 ® July 2019 MC, location unknown Welcome ........................................... 2 “Recovery becomes a From the Inside .............................3 contact process; we lose From the Outside .........................6 the fear of touching and Transitioning .................................12 of being touched.” Order Form .....................................16 Narcotics Anonymous, “We Do Recover” NA World Services, Inc. PO Box 9999 Van Nuys, CA 91409, USA From the Editor We would like to welcome all of you to the NA World Services newsletter, Reaching Out. We hope that the contents of this newsletter will assist you in your recovery or H&I efforts. There are three sections to Reaching Out. The first section, “From the Inside,” is filled with letters from incarcerated addicts, sharing their experience, strength, and hope as they find and maintain recovery from addiction through NA. The second section, “From the Outside,” is an opportunity for Hospitals & Institutions subcommittees to offer their experiences obtained through carrying the NA message of recovery to addicts who are unable to attend regular meetings. You may also find personal experience from those members who heard the NA message on the inside and are now living and enjoying life on the outside. The third and newest section, “Transitioning from the Inside to the Outside,” features members sharing about successfully transitioning from treatment, a hospital, or an institution to living on the outside. We encourage submissions for Reaching Out from members and H&I subcommittees. Please consider that we are more likely to publish articles that focus on how NA has helped an individual to recover while incarcerated rather than those that concentrate on the horrors of drug use.
    [Show full text]
  • Each Group Has but One Primary Purpose—To Carry the Message To
    Volume 33, Number 2 ® April 2018 Image Source Unknown Welcome ........................................... 2 Each group has but one From the Inside .............................3 primary purpose—to carry From the Outside .........................9 the message to the addict Transitioning .................................11 who still suffers. Order Form .....................................16 Basic Text, Chapter Six “Tradition Five” NA World Services, Inc. PO Box 9999 Van Nuys, CA 91409 From the Editor We would like to welcome all of you to the NA World Services newsletter, Reaching Out. We hope that the contents of this newsletter will assist you in your recovery or H&I efforts. There are three sections to Reaching Out. The first section, “From the Inside,” is filled with letters from incarcerated addicts, sharing their experience, strength, and hope as they find and maintain recovery from addiction through NA. The second section, “From the Outside,” is an opportunity for Hospitals & Institutions subcommittees to offer their experiences obtained through carrying the NA message of recovery to addicts who are unable to attend regular meetings. You may also find personal experience from those members who heard the NA message on the inside and are now living and enjoying life on the outside. The third and newest section, “Transitioning from the Inside to the Outside,” features members sharing about successfully transitioning from treatment, a hospital, or an institution to living on the outside. We encourage submissions for Reaching Out from members and H&I subcommittees. Please consider that we are more likely to publish articles that focus on how NA has helped an individual to recover while incarcerated rather than those that concentrate on the horrors of drug use.
    [Show full text]
  • Drug and Alcohol Abuse in Nepal David J
    Drug and Alcohol Abuse in Nepal David J. Powell, Ph.D. President, International Center for Health Concerns, Inc. Introduction After a decade of conflict, Nepal has emerged with a new constitution, Parliament, and now faces all of the issues and problems resulting from years of war. Nepal has long been a destination for mountaineers and trekkers to Mount Everest and other Himalayan peaks. During the 1960-70s Nepal was also home to many “hippies” who visited the country because of the tolerance and availability of marijuana, hashish and other drugs. As a result, drug addiction has been a serious problem throughout Nepal since the 1970s. Although drug use has traditionally been part of the Nepalese spiritual and religious culture, around the 1970s Nepal’s urban and suburban youth were introduced to pharmaceutical drug usage as well as the traditional drugs--of marijuana and hashish. Since then, the abuse of these drugs, and additionally heroin, has increased in popularity among the Nepali youth. Currently, the most abused drugs in Nepal are marijuana, heroin, hashish, methamphetamine, cough syrup, Valium, LSD, and Tidigesic injections. Alcohol remains the preferred drug of use and abuse, followed by tobacco. The use of alcohol and abuse of other drugs have contributed to violent behavior by the youth, causing a major public health problem for the emerging nation. Prevalence and Incidence of Abuse There is scant epidemiological data available to determine the nature and extent of the drug problems in Nepal. Unofficial surveys (1) have revealed that there are estimated 60-100,000 drug addicts in Nepal. The abuse of drugs has led not only to active addiction by many but also to the incidence of HIV/AIDS, Hepatitis B and sexually transmitted diseases (STDs).
    [Show full text]
  • NAWS, Inc. Annual Report 2010
    NA World Services, Inc. Annual Report 2010 Fellowship Contributions Every year when we publish the annual report, we include an accounting of contributions we have received from members, groups, and service committees, organized by region. These numbers enable us to provide a comparison of how much of our work is paid for by fellowship contributions and how much is funded by revenue from literature sales. The ongoing difficulties posed by the global economic climate offer some additional challenges. The work of NA World Services is inspired and governed by the set of spiritual principles outlined in our recovery program. Unlike many other businesses outside of NA, we are far more limited in our options to generate revenue and reduce expenses. To accomplish the business goals that support our spiritual aims, we rely heavily on the contributions of NA members who have found freedom from active addiction and are now living productive, responsible lives. One of our most important tasks at NA World Services is to reach addicts in places where NA does not yet exist. However, the more suc- cessful we are in this effort, the more demand we create for additional services and support in places that are difficult and costly to reach. Our greatest successes have brought us our biggest challenges, but the principles of our program remind us that those of us who can give more must do so, in order that addicts in other parts of the world might have the chance to hear our message of recovery. Cost of Funding Services through Contributions per Worldwide Meeting Actual vs.
    [Show full text]
  • Narcotics Anonymous Zoom Meetings
    Narcotics Anonymous Zoom Meetings Day Time Meeting Name Meeting ID Password Location All Day 3pm-7am Open 16 Hours a Day Every Day 343017388 New Zealand All Day 24hours 24 hours 7 days a week 558544927 247247 New York All Day 24hours 24/7 Marathon Meeting 86944306744 1953 Chicago, IL All Day 24hours The Recovery Lounge 71527732454 UK All Day 24hours Recovery 86413265249 United States All Day 24hours Recovery Begins With These Steps 6018127879 USA Daily Zoom Meetings Day Time Meeting Name Meeting ID Password Location Daily 7:00 AM Morning Miracles (AC) 5740460654 418934 Atlantic City Daily 7:00 AM JFT Book Study / LGBTQI+ 75907342333 nazoommtg Virtual Daily 8:00 AM The Journey continues Book Study 7668978915 936489 Baltimore, MD Daily 9:10 AM The Ties that Bind / Womens 79956027901 jft123 Pittsburgh, Pa Daily 11:00 AM Just For Today/ Topic or Discusion 705465974 566658 South Florida Daily 11:30 AM Topic Rotates 675774274 _000000 Pennsylvania, New Jersey Daily 12:00 PM Open 5195332251 Florida Daily 12:00 PM recovery 71527732454 Georgia Daily 12:00 PM IP Discussion 79162981566 jftna Pennsylvania Daily 12:00 PM Any Lengths 825556478 619884 Richmond, VA Daily 12:30 PM Electric Lunch - JFT 758681542 Miami Daily 1:00 PM The Matrix (RASCNA) 2938431594 Reading, PA Daily 1:00 PM Quarantine Your Addiction 6214503712 407638 Wheeling, WV Daily 5:30 PM 530 group/ chair's choice 272153975 pompano beach, Fl. Daily 6:00 PM NA Online Recovery Group 6468608593 Durham, NC USA Daily 7:00 PM We Came To Believe 335753039 Buckhannon, WV Daily 7:00 PM Open Discussion
    [Show full text]
  • Narcotics Anonymous
    NARCOTICS ANONYMOUS Fifth Edition Contents NARCOTICS ANONYMOUS ............................................................................................................................................................ 1 OUR SYMBOL ................................................................................................................................................................................ 4 WHO IS AN ADDICT? ..................................................................................................................................................................... 8 WHY ARE WE HERE? ................................................................................................................................................................... 14 HOW IT WORKS .......................................................................................................................................................................... 16 STEP ONE .................................................................................................................................................................................... 17 STEP TWO ................................................................................................................................................................................... 19 STEP THREE ................................................................................................................................................................................. 21 STEP FOUR .................................................................................................................................................................................
    [Show full text]
  • An Exploratory Study on Recovery-Supportive Elements in Narcotics Anonymous Flander
    Dekkers et al. Substance Abuse Treatment, Prevention, and Policy (2020) 15:53 https://doi.org/10.1186/s13011-020-00296-0 RESEARCH Open Access “Personal recovery depends on NA unity”: an exploratory study on recovery- supportive elements in Narcotics Anonymous Flanders Anne Dekkers1* , Sam Vos2 and Wouter Vanderplasschen1 Abstract Background: Mutual aid organizations, such as Narcotics Anonymous (NA), can provide support in substance use disorder (SUD) recovery processes. However, research on NA and its recovery-supportive elements is scarce and perspectives of NA-members remain understudied, in particular outside the US. Therefore, this study aims to gain insight into recovery-supportive elements of NA, as experienced by its members. Methods: To explore the perspectives on and experiences with recovery-supportive elements in NA, 11 in-depth interviews with NA-members were conducted in Flanders (Belgium). Interviews were audio-taped, transcribed verbatim and analyzed by using CHIME-D, a personal recovery framework (Connectedness, Hope, Identity, Meaning in life, Empowerment, Difficulties) developed by Leamy and colleagues in 2011. Results: Various recovery-supportive elements of NA were highlighted, with Connectedness as a key component including opportunities for building up a social network and for providing a safety net or sounding board. Elements that enabled Connectedness were 1) a non-judgemental approach, and 2) mutual understanding through sharing in NA. Other elements of the CHIME-D framework were less frequently mentioned, although these were inextricably linked to Connectedness. Conclusions: Connectedness appeared to be the crucial recovery-supportive element in NA, emphasizing the relational character of SUD recovery. Although other elements of the CHIME-D framework were identified, these were closely related to and intertwined with the concept of connectedness.
    [Show full text]
  • Twelve Step Programs - Orientation (Wm
    Twelve Step Programs - Orientation (Wm. Haning, MD - UHM JABSOM 2021) ABSTRACT: This is a companion to a narrative presentation. It is intended to describe the derivation, intent, and utility of 12-Step programs, focusing on Narcotics Anonymous (NA) and Alcoholics Anonymous (AA). It includes a listing and summary of the Twelve Steps initially evolved by Alcoholics Anonymous and first published in 1939. Also briefly included here are the Twelve Traditions are employed by NA and AA as guidance for the operation of the organizations. They also outline the boundaries between these programs and the community agencies or health- care providers who refer to them. INTRODUCTION: An understanding of 12-Step programs is essential for those in the addiction treatment community, to the same degree that some knowledge of operating-rooms is essential to being a good surgeon. For those in ancillary services - clergy, medicine, public safety, social work, and volunteer community assistance - any attempt to understand the culture of recovery will be incomplete and possibly distorted without a knowledge of the mutual self-help fellowships. Whatever is discussed here will pale in understanding in comparison to the actual experience of attending an AA or other 12-Step meeting. The term, "12-Step program," is bandied about with facility these days, as a kind of talisman, sometimes as a taunt ("Oh, you need a 12-Step program!"). That facetiousness can stand as a barrier to exploring and understanding. The original 12-Step program simply referred to 12 suggested sequential steps for newly-recovering alcoholics to take, in order to organize their efforts in staying sober.
    [Show full text]
  • An Introduction to NA Meetings IP No
    An Introduction to NA Meetings IP No. 29 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. The words we use and the way we act might be unfamiliar to you at first, but hopefully this information can help you get the most out of your first NA meeting or help you feel more comfortable as you keep coming back. Showing up early, staying late, and asking lots of questions before and after meetings will help you get the most out of every meeting you attend. Effective meeting formats keep the primary purpose in focus and encourage members to participate in a way that expresses recovery. Tradition Five, It Works: How and Why Our Basic Text, Narcotics Anonymous, provides the best description of who we are and what we do: “NA is a nonprofit 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 stay clean.” The Twelve Steps of NA are the basis of our recovery program. Our meetings are where we share recovery with one another, but applying our program consists of much more than simply attending NA meetings. People have all sorts of reasons for attending NA meetings, but the purpose of each meeting is to give NA members a place to share recovery with other addicts.
    [Show full text]