Category: Narcotics Anonymous

Why You Can’t Quick-Study The 12-Steps

The 12-Steps are one of the cornerstones of the Alcoholics Anonymous approach to getting sober. They are 12 spiritually-focused steps recovering alcoholics should follow on their path to sobriety, serving as overarching guidelines for the entire process.

Regardless of the substance they’re addicted to, many people find the Steps transformative and one of the main reasons they got sober. However, incorporating the Steps into your recovery means understanding them profoundly and knowing how to apply them to fit your needs.

This means that you can’t “quick-study” the Steps as a means to accelerate your recovery. In this article, we’ll talk about why you shouldn’t try to quickly learn the Steps and apply this incomplete understanding to your recovery. We’ll also discuss how you can “work the Steps” and integrate them into your recovery.

Why Can’t You Quick-Study The 12-Steps?

The urge to get “the gist” of the 12-Steps may be strong, but we urge you to reconsider this approach. When following the 12-Steps, you must take them seriously and observe them continuously. Not every day, but you need to incorporate them into your life, which takes time. These are the main reasons you can’t adopt them into your recovery:

You need dedication

The 12-Steps are a guideline for your recovery process. To successfully incorporate them into your life, you must prepare for each Step. The first three Steps focus on a positive mindset and connecting with your Higher Power. Some people will find these easy to follow, while others may not.

Take the time you need on Steps that you find more challenging.

You need a spiritual connection

Alcoholics Anonymous is open to non-Christian and non-religious people. Still, they are heavily spiritually focused, and it may be challenging for people who don’t have strong spiritual beliefs to find them fulfilling.

The terms “God” and “Higher Power” may be uncomfortable for some people. If that happens to you, discuss your thoughts with a sponsor, a former or recovering alcoholic who’s more experienced than you in the Steps. They may have words of advice or encouragement on how to manage the spiritual aspects of the Steps.

You need to fit them into your needs and lifestyle

People who successfully apply the Steps integrate them into their lifestyle, adapting them to their needs and circumstances. Some people read daily affirmations related to the Steps, while others take time out of their days to incorporate the Steps into their daily meditations or prayers. Whatever works for you is what you should do.

What Are The 12-Steps?

These are the original 12-Steps created by the Alcoholics Anonymous founders. Be aware that over time other substance abuse recovery programs have incorporated the 12-Steps into their approach. They maintain the essence of the Steps but in the context of other addictive substances, such as cocaine.

The original 12-Steps outlined in the book are:

  1. We admitted we were powerless over alcohol.
  2. We believed that a Power greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity.
  3. We decided to turn our will and lives over to God’s care as we understood Him.
  4. We made a searching and fearless moral inventory of ourselves.
  5. Admitted to God, ourselves, and another human being the exact nature of our wrongs.
  6. We’re entirely ready to have God remove all these defects of character.
  7. We humbly asked Him to remove our shortcomings.
  8. Made a list of all persons we had harmed and became willing to make amends to them all.
  9. Made direct amends to such people wherever possible, except when doing so would injure them or others.
  10. We continued to take personal inventory and promptly admitted it when we were wrong.
  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 from these Steps, we tried to carry this message to alcoholics and practice these principles in all our affairs.

The 12-Steps Simplified

The 12-Steps wording hasn’t changed much since its conception in 1930. Over time, it’s become difficult for some people to follow. To help adapt the language to modern times, the simplified version appeared, focusing on the main guiding principle of each Step:

  1. Honesty
  2. Hope
  3. Faith
  4. Courage
  5. Integrity
  6. Willingness
  7. Humility
  8. Discipline and action
  9. Forgiveness
  10. Acceptance
  11. Knowledge and awareness
  12. Service and gratitude 

What Is “Working The Steps” And What Are The Benefits?

“Working the Steps” is a common expression you’ll hear if you attend Alcoholics Anonymous meetings or any other organizations that adopted the Steps into their approach.

“Step work” is anything that helps you cultivate and understand the Steps to aid your recovery process, such as: reading AA literature, attending meetings, and observing the Steps through personal reflection.

The benefits of working the step include, but are not limited to:

  • Finding the right structure to support your recovery process
  • Building stronger relationships with other sober individuals
  • Fostering spirituality 
  • Improving physical and mental health 
  • Achieving mental clarity 
  • Maintaining long-term sobriety

The Bottom Line

Recovery is a long and challenging process. You can’t “cheat” your way through it by quick-studying the 12-Steps and casually applying them to your life. It takes time to absorb their meaning and learn to integrate them into your life.

Don’t try to speed past them, or you’ll be doing yourself a great disservice. Take your time. The rewards will be worth it.

Which Opiates are the Most Addictive?

People have used opiates to relieve pain and get high ever since opium’s intoxicating properties were first identified thousands of years ago. Individuals who genuinely required pain relief throughout history become dependent on opium-based pharmaceuticals far too frequently. Opioids and opiates come in a variety of forms. Prescription medicines make up the majority of the most addictive medications, and several opiates have been pulled off the market because of their extreme hazard.

The following Opiates are the most addictive:

1. OxyContin

This kind of oxycodone with an extended-release was created to assist persons with chronic pain who required relief for 12 to 24 hours. The drug’s manufacturer, Purdue Pharma, emphasized in its advertising how well this opioid relieves pain, but prescribing it more extensively to treat other types of pain along with other, less effective analgesics contributed to the current opioid abuse pandemic. To get around the extended-release formula, the medication is frequently crushed and snorted, which frequently results in opioid overdoses.

2. Percocet

This brand-name drug, which combines acetaminophen and oxycodone, was intended to treat moderate to severe pain only briefly, for no more than a few months, and for a period of up to six hours. After surgery or a serious injury, a short-term opioid medicine like Percocet is intended to help patients concentrate on their recovery, including physical therapy. Instead, many people who are introduced to opioids like Percocet and others like it become addicted to them and then progress to higher and riskier opioids.

3. Vicodin

Vicodin is another brand-name painkiller intended to relieve moderate to severe pain, often for 4-6 hours, for no longer than a few months. It is a mixture of hydrocodone and acetaminophen, similar to Percocet. Vicodin has led to millions of people struggling with opiate addiction and switching to stronger drugs, much like Percocet did.

4. Methadone

It is one of the longest-acting opioid agonists available. Methadone was used for years in the US to help heroin addicts gradually overcome their addictions and resume normal lives. Many methadone users stayed on the drug for years, going to methadone clinics to get their dose. Like long-acting opioids like fentanyl or OxyContin, the drug is occasionally recommended to manage chronic pain, but it is also one of the most misused substances and is a major cause of overdoses.

5. Fentanyl

This potent narcotic painkiller, which was originally intended for the long-term management of chronic pain, has since been produced in covert labs and sold either in combination with heroin or in its stead, fueling an epidemic of overdose deaths across the country. Fentanyl has an average potency of roughly 80 times that of heroin and is between 50 and 100 times more potent than morphine. People who battle with opioid addiction unintentionally use this medication in place of heroin or another opioid, which is exceedingly risky.

6. Heroin

Heroin, one of the few opioid medications that the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) has designated as Schedule I, was originally created from morphine to be a more effective, less addictive pain reliever. Instead, this synthetic drug turned out to be worse, causing overdose deaths and addiction throughout the 19th and early 20th centuries. Heroin quickly attaches to opioid receptors in the brain, producing a quick-acting, potent high. Because the initial effects of heroin wear off so rapidly, those who battle heroin addiction are inclined to take multiple doses throughout the day.

7. Morphine

Morphine, the first opioid painkiller created from opium, is still prescribed to relieve pain in the United States and most of the rest of the globe. It is available under various brand names. The creation of heroin and other opioid analgesics, which have also shown to have a significant potential for addiction, was nonetheless prompted by worries about the addictive properties of morphine, particularly after the Civil War. All opioid drugs—both illegal and legally prescribed—are derived from morphine.

Opioid Addiction Treatment

Opiates are drugs that, when given by a doctor, are intended to help with the treatment of severe pain. They are frequently used following a catastrophic accident or surgery, as well as occasionally in cases of persistent pain or diseases like cancer. Opiates cause the same reactions that are brought on when you do something your body and brain find pleasurable, like eating, but they are considerably more apparent. If you use opiates frequently, your brain begins to change in such a way that using them makes you feel normal while not using them makes you feel strange. Depending on the severity of Opioid addiction, the treatment options include:

  • Medical detox- To supervise a safe withdrawal 
  • Outpatient Rehab- For patients who want to return home after treatment
  • Inpatient Rehab- For patients who heal better when being cut off from all triggers
  • Medicated-Assisted Treatment- Using therapies and medication like Suboxone together to achieve long-term sobriety. 
  • 12 Step Recovery- Find an NA meeting near you

Parting Words…

Among the opiates are heroin and morphine. These medicines affect the reward region of the brain, which governs how your body experiences pleasure and related emotions. Opiates duplicate and enhance your body’s inherent feel-good mechanisms. Opioids have a tendency to slow down some of the body’s core processes, including the respiratory system, in extremely high doses. 

Alabama: Ranked Highest Among Opioid Prescription Rates

Well before COVID-19 shook our world upside down, the United States was—and still is—in the grip of another public health crisis: opioid abuse. This complex and multifaceted issue has been dubbed the opioid epidemic. Unlike other drugs which often have a specific user base, opioid users can vary greatly by gender, age, socioeconomic status, education level, and geolocation. However, Alabama has demonstrated how severe this issue is and garnered national attention for being the first state to ever have more opioid prescriptions than residents. 

Learn more about Alabama’s opioid usage and how it compares to the rest of the country, why Alabama is the state with the highest opioid prescription rates, and how such a thing could happen in the first place. 

Alabama Opioid Statistics

Alabama first took the top spot for prescription opioid use in 2012 with 143.9 prescriptions per 100 residents—that’s 1.4 prescriptions for every adult and child in the state. As of the most recent data from the Alabama Department of Mental Health, that number has been decreasing but Alabama continues to lead the nation in this disturbing statistic. 

While the number of dispensed opioids is indeed lower, according to 2020 CDC data the state of Alabama still experienced an increase in opioid overdose deaths of more than 20%. In 2021, overdose deaths were up 31% (an increase largely attributed to the pandemic that quickly broke state records) and led to Alabama having one of the highest increases in overdose rates in the country. The primary culprit, state authorities say, is fentanyl overdoses by users who don’t know they’re using fentanyl.

Below are several other statistics that highlight the depth of the opioid crisis in Alabama:

  • Over 91,000 Alabama residents have had a substance use disorder (approximately 2.45% of the population)
  • 92% of Alabama residents who need addiction treatment haven’t received treatment (2014)
  • 27% of Alabamians report transportation as being a barrier to seeking treatments—many must travel to a different city, country, or state (2021)
  • Fentanyl caused the most opioid overdose deaths in 2016 and 2017
  • Opioid-related deaths accounted for every 8.6 per 100,000 Alabama residents (2017)
  • Males between 15 and 54 years old experience twice as many opioid overdose dates than females (2017)
  • 50% of drug-related deaths in 2017 involved opioids
  • 14 of the 15 Alabama counties with the highest opioid prescription rates are rural (2017) 
  • Rural county residents are 87% more likely to receive an opioid prescription than those in metropolitan areas (2021)

What Is the Opioid Crisis?

Since the 1990s, nearly half a million Americans have died from opioid overdoses (the number of deaths in 2019 is quadruple those of 1999). This class of drugs, which is derived from the poppy plant and includes both natural, semi-synthetic, and fully-synthetic derivatives, includes the likes of popular illegal street drugs such as codeine and heroin. 

However, there are a great number of opioids that are legal and used for medical purposes such as oxycodone, hydrocodone, and fentanyl. It is the latter group that is at the heart of this latest wave of the opioid crisis. 

What caused the opioid crisis? 

Opioids are highly effective pain killers, which doctors use to treat both acute and chronic pain. Unfortunately, these doctors vastly underestimated the addictiveness of the opioid analgesics they prescribed and many patients unwittingly found themselves hooked even when using as prescribed. 

The result? A tsunami of innocent people who had used medication for pain relief (or other medical issues), found themselves addicted to those painkillers. Once their prescriptions ran out, many of them turned to illicit street drugs to fulfill their newfound cravings. 

These drugs, often counterfeits of the prescription these individuals had once used, were made in clandestine labs which put users at the risk of contaminated compounds or drugs that were much more powerful than the legal pharmaceuticals they were using. In 2017 over 47,000 Americans died from an opioid overdose and 1.7 million met the criteria of having an opioid use disorder.

What prescription drugs have opiates in them?

The most commonly prescribed prescription opioids are:

  • Vicodin (hydrocodone)
  • Oxycontin (oxycodone)
  • Percocet (oxycodone)
  • Opana (oxymorphone)
  • Kadian (morphine)
  • Avinza (morphine)
  • Codeine
  • Fentanyl
  • Hydromorphone
  • Tapentadol
  • Methadone
  • Tramadol

Where to Find Alabama Drug Addiction Support

Opioid abuse is a serious, but treatable condition. If you or a loved one is struggling with drug or alcohol addiction in Alabama, you can find a peer-based, Narcotics Anonymous support group in a city near you.

Sources:

https://www.cdc.gov/rxawareness/information/index.html

True or False: All Narcotics are Addictive

In 2020, there were 40.3 million Americans over the age of 12 who met the criteria of having a drug addiction, nearly 15% of the population. These high numbers are the result of various circumstances that have converged to create a health crisis that doesn’t show any signs of slowing down: People are more stressed than ever (re: COVID-19 pandemic, inflation, world affairs, American politics, gas prices) and the potency of drugs keeps getting stronger. 

At the heart of the addiction epidemic are narcotics, a category of drugs that includes both legal and illegal varieties–and some of which are the most addictive substances on the planet. They account for up to 80% of all drug overdose deaths, approximately 50,000 a year. Are all narcotics addictive or is it only certain ones that drive these scary statistics? 

What Are Narcotics? [DEA Definition] 

The term stems from the Greek word “to make numb” but there are a few definitions of what a narcotic is floating around. Some use it negatively to refer to all drugs of any kind (an international assembly held in 1961 called the Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs was focused on cannabis and cocaine), but this definition is less prevalent. Others, primarily those in the field of medicine, use narcotic as a neutral term to refer to drugs with pain-relieving or numbing properties, or that put users in a state of narcosis.

However, most modern definitions of narcotics align more closely with the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration’s, that a narcotic is any type of opium derivative, pharmaceutical or illicit, natural or synthetic. In short, narcotic is just an alternative name for opioids.  

Narcotic Drugs List

Narcotics include natural, semi-synthetic, and synthetic derivatives of the poppy plant. Many of these types of narcotics are likely to sound familiar to you as both illegal and legal varieties of opioids are widely used. However, there are likely many more that you haven’t heard of (there are over 100 types of prescription opioids alone)! Below are the most common narcotics:  

  • Buprenorphine
  • Codeine
  • Fentanyl
  • Heroin 
  • Hydrocodone
  • Hydromorphone
  • Meperidine
  • Methadone
  • Morphine
  • Oliceridine
  • Oxycodone
  • Opium
  • Tramadol

Some of these narcotics are used alone, but many of these substances are combined with other chemical ingredients to create medications like suboxone. Prescription narcotics are blamed for having resulted in the deadly third wave of the opioid epidemic that is currently gripping the nation.

Are All Narcotics Addictive?

Yes, all narcotics have the potential to be addictive. Some carry greater addiction potential than others, but opioids are powerful mind-altering drugs that might result in addiction. Heroin is a narcotic and is considered to be the most addictive drug in existence. According to SAMHSA’s 2020 National Survey on Drug Use and Health report, there were 2.7 million people 12 and older who had opioid use disorder in 2020 (approximately 1% of the U.S. population). 

Illicit synthetic opioids are often the most potent and therefore, are the most addictive. Fentanyl, for example, can be 100x more potent than morphine and has significantly higher addiction potential. 

Why are narcotics addictive? 

To better understand why narcotics are so addictive is to look at how addiction happens in the brain in general. To summarize a very complex situation, addiction occurs when brain receptors become used to a certain foreign substance activating them and eventually stops producing the naturally occurring neurotransmitters the brain would normally produce to activate those receptors. This creates what’s known as physical dependence. When a person gets to this stage but tries to stop using drugs, they’ll experience unpleasant and sometimes dangerous side effects known as withdrawal.

People often inadvertently get themselves in this situation because drugs have a powerful means of encouraging their repeated use. While drugs are activating brain receptors and gearing the brain towards physical dependence, they simultaneously activate the pleasure or reward centers in the brain. Your brain likes pleasure and will actively seek out things that make it feel good. This is what ends up developing into psychological dependence, and is what’s most responsible for causing drug users to develop a tolerance that eventually gives way to full-blown addiction. 

Narcotics are extremely adept at both aspects of the addiction equation. They trigger the release of high levels of endorphins so strongly that addiction can occur within a single use. Many narcotics activate the reward centers of the brain more so than other types of drugs.  

Getting Help for a Narcotics Addict

If you or a loved one is struggling with an addiction, you’re not alone. There are thousands of Narcotics Anonymous groups across the country helping people just like you. Find an NA group in your city today. 

https://www.samhsa.gov/data/sites/default/files/reports/rpt35325/NSDUHFFRPDFWHTMLFiles2020/2020NSDUHFFR1PDFW102121.pdf

https://drugabusestatistics.org/

Is Molly [Ecstasy] Addictive?

MDMA, the popular club drug better known as ecstasy or ‘molly’, is a synthetic stimulant that causes euphoric rushes like amphetamines and psychedelic symptoms like hallucinogens. Widely used in party settings like raves, nightclubs, and music festivals, you wouldn’t have to look far before coming across the drug most often distributed in the form of colorful little pills or capsules. Despite there being all sorts of risks that can come from using this recreational drug (fatal hypertension, fainting, panic attacks, and seizures–not to mention the unpleasant come down), molly and ecstasy have reputations as being harmless. But, danger aside, is molly addictive as well?

How Addictive Is Molly?  

There has yet to be a definitive consensus as to MDMA’s potential to get people hooked on it. Studies have found prolonged use can disturb serotonin and dopamine systems–the two neurotransmitters that play an integral role in the development of addiction. While MDMA is not nearly as addictive as drugs like heroin or cocaine, it absolutely has the possibility of being habit-forming, even if it is a few hairs shy of full-blown substance use disorder. 

However, this doesn’t mean that molly gets off scot-free. Most molly isn’t pure MDMA. Nor is it a “more pure” form of the MDMA derivatives compared to ecstasy, despite popular belief. In many cases, the molly you’re being sold doesn’t contain a single bit of MDMA (a study found that 40% of what users believed to be molly didn’t test positive for any traces of the compound). Even in instances when MDMA is present, molly (and ecstasy as well) are often adulterated–diluted or ‘cut’ with other additives. These mimic the effects of MDMA and are virtually impossible to detect with the naked eye. The same goes for ecstasy, and both MDMA derivatives are equally at risk of being cut with more dangerous drugs.

If it’s not molly, what is it?

Common adulterators include dangerous compounds like bath salts, or other much harder drugs such as ketamine, cocaine, and meth. The addictiveness of these drugs is much less questionable. If molly is addictive, it largely is due to the presence of these dangerous substances as an additive. So what’s the takeaway from all this? If molly is the real deal, pure and unadulterated, it isn’t as addictive as other drugs. However, given the very likely circumstance that it’s a pill made of mystery substances and what you’re most likely to encounter at a party scene, then yes, you can get addicted to molly. 

The Dangers of Using Molly

Don’t exhale a sigh of relief just yet. Just because (real) molly likely isn’t going to get you addicted on the first try, that’s not to say that it can’t happen at all. It also doesn’t mean you’re in the clear of avoiding unpleasant withdrawal symptoms or experiencing a potentially fatal overdose. Even before you get to this point, using molly can kill you. Here are a few physical side effects of using molly:

  • Dehydration
  • Electrolyte (sodium) imbalance
  • Faintness
  • Headache
  • High blood pressure (hypertension)
  • Hot flashes or chills
  • Illogical or disorganized thoughts
  • Involuntary jaw clenching and teeth grinding
  • Kidney failure
  • Lack of appetite
  • Loss of consciousness
  • Marked rise in body temperature (hyperthermia)
  • Muscle or joint stiffness
  • Nausea
  • Panic attacks
  • Restless legs
  • Seizures
  • Sweating
  • Swelling of the brain

The conditions in which molly is often used significantly add to its dangers and can lead to several of the side effects listed above. Molly can lead to the body losing the ability to self-regulate its temperature. Consider a setting in which molly is often taken, a dance floor or other place crowded with dancing bodies. In this scenario, the results can send body temperature skyrocketing, a symptom known as hyperthermia. This can quickly lead to the shutdown and failure of the kidneys, rigid muscles or spasms, and rapid heartbeat that could result in heart failure.

Molly Overdose Symptoms

Many of the most dangerous symptoms of using molly are the ones that precede or are indicative of an overdose. These include:

  • Confusion
  • Dizziness 
  • Heart palpitations
  • Muscle twitching or cramps
  • Racing blood pressure
  • Seizures
  • Sharp rise in body temperature 
  • Vomiting

 

Long-Term Psychological Risks of Using Molly

Even if you’re fortunate enough to avoid all those, frankly, quite terrifying symptoms of using molly, you’ll still have the psychological consequences to deal with. The serotonin and dopamine pathways that enable molly to cause euphoric highs end up depleted after the drug’s effects have passed and a shortage ensues. This can lead to mood disturbances such as depression, anxiety, and paranoia. There are cognitive side effects too, such as poor memory and decreased ability to focus.

If you’re a molly user that’s having trouble trying to quit, find a Narcotics Anonymous meeting near you today.

Sources: 

https://www.drugabuse.gov/publications/research-reports/mdma-ecstasy-abuse/mdma-addictive

https://drugpolicy.org/drug-facts/what-are-most-common-adulterants-whats-sold-molly-or-ecstasy-other-words-what-chemicals 

https://nida.nih.gov/publications/research-reports/mdma-ecstasy-abuse/mdma-addictive

 

All About the NA Big Book

Very similar to The Big Book in AA, Narcotics Anonymous (NA) also provides its members with literature such as pamphlets, booklets, and readings to explain more about their mission. One of the most popular books is the NA White book. It serves as an introductory booklet to the Fellowship of Narcotics Anonymous. While the booklet itself is not meant to be comprehensive, it contains the essentials everyone needs to know to start their recovery journey. 

The NA Big Book

The Narcotics Anonymous Big Book is 453 pages long and breaks down the main chapters of the Narcotics Anonymous program:

  • Chapter One: Who Is an Addict?
  • Chapter Two: What Is the Narcotics Anonymous Program?
  • Chapter Three: Why Are We Here?
  • Chapter Four: How It Works
  • Chapter Five: What Can I Do?
  • Chapter Six: The Twelve Traditions of Narcotics Anonymous
  • Chapter Seven: Recovery and Relapse
  • Chapter Eight: We Do Recover
  • Chapter Nine: Just for Today – Living the Program
  • Chapter Ten: More Will Be Revealed

In addition, the book includes over 200 pages of member stories, from reflections and challenges of working the steps to words of gratitude and hope. The book even explains NA’s symbol, which graphically captures what their universal program is about: goodwill, society, self, God, service, and freedom. 

How It Works

In chapter four, the NA book explains essentially how the program works. It breaks down the steps in NA designed to make our recovery possible and becomes the path effectively to follow as you continue working on your recovery. The 12-Steps of Narcotics Anonymous are:

  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 have 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. 

At a quick glance, these steps are very similar to those used in AA meetings. However, most NA meetings will focus on narcotics and drugs, occasionally talking about alcohol (AA only tackles alcoholism). These steps also focus heavily on the person’s recovery efforts and journey. Meetings are structured slightly different and will vary by chapter and location. 

Frequently Asked Questions About the NA Big Book

What is the NA book called?

The NA book is known among members as the “basic text.” In it, the book describes NA as a “nonprofit fellowship or society for people whose drugs had become a major problem … and recovering addicts who meet regularly to help each other stay clean.” 

How much does the NA book cost?

You can find hardcover copies of the book online starting at $12.99. However, many NA chapters will share a book PDF on their websites for free. 

Who wrote the NA book?

The NA “Basic Text” book is believed to be written by Jimmy Kinnon, who wrote most of Narcotics Anonymous’s early literature. 

Getting Help for Addiction

If you or someone you know is struggling with a substance use disorder, please know there’s help available. Attending support group meetings is an important aspect of recovery and treatment. However, it’s also important to contact a rehab center near you to discuss personalized treatment. 

Addiction recovery is a long-term journey that needs comprehensive and personalized assistance from an addiction professional. Most rehab journeys will involve detox, rehab, and aftercare planning, alongside attending group support meetings. Contact one of our caring admission specialists today and start your recovery journey for more information about our treatment programs. 

Sources:

https://na.org/admin/include/spaw2/uploads/pdf/litfiles/us_english/Booklet/NA%20White%20Booklet.pdf

https://na.org/admin/include/spaw2/uploads/pdf/litfiles/us_english/Booklet/Twelve%20Concepts.pdf

https://na.org/?ID=ips-eng-index

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5 NA Prayers You Should Know

Narcotics Anonymous has a spiritual element that is interwoven with the foundation of 12-step programs. Prayers are often used as reminders and encouragement for the journey of sobriety.

Unveiling the Five Vital Prayers of NA

There are over a dozen prayers used in Narcotics Anonymous (there are prayers that correlate with each of the 12 steps, and then some). Still, a particular few are regularly recited at NA meetings and are, therefore, the most important to know. In this article, we’ll explain the meanings behind the five most common NA prayers and their significance of on your recovery journey.

1. NA Third Step Prayer

“Take my will and my life, guide me in my recovery, show me how to live.”

The companion to one of the most well-known and cited of the 12 Steps, the Third Step prayer is all about relinquishing control and placing trust in a Higher Power. A higher power doesn’t have to have a religious tie. It can be a person that motivates you, a positive feeling you want to sustain, or even a passion of yours that you want to maintain the ability to pursue, like music. It can be whatever you deem to be a motivating enough force to keep you on track for sobriety. 

2. NA Service Prayer

“GOD, grant us knowledge that we may act* according to Your Divine precepts. Instill in us a sense of Your purpose. Make us servants of Your will and grant us a bond of selflessness, that this may truly be Your work, not ours —in order that no addict, anywhere, need die from the horrors of addiction.”

(Note: The word “act” is sometimes substituted for “work” or “write”.)

The Service Prayer emphasizes the importance of a higher power on the journey of overcoming addiction. Despite the direct reference to God, the key NA prayer isn’t necessarily religious. Instead, it simply highlights the importance of having this entity–whatever it may be–guiding our thoughts and actions rather than ourselves. The reasoning behind this is that since we got ourselves into the snarl of addiction, we can’t entrust ourselves alone to get out of this situation.

3. NA Gratitude Prayer

“My gratitude speaks, when I care and when I share with others the N.A. way.”

This comes from the Basic Text of Narcotics Anonymous (a piece of literature written about the essential nature of addiction), which opens the ‘Our Members Share’ section of the book. Gratitude is important because it inherently involves mindfulness and taking stock of what one has and what one has accomplished. Without this, it is easy to feel that progress has stalled when one loses sight of where they’ve come from or from a feeling of entitlement. 

Recognizing that nothing is a given means appreciating everything in both good and bad moments. Although gratitude is a spiritual principle, it also requires action. It’s not enough to say that you’re grateful. This sentiment is displayed through the service and sponsorship of others. This prayer reminds us to be a positive force in the lives of others as a way to honor all the support and forgiveness that it took to get us where we are today. 

4. NA Recovery Prayer

“We cannot change the nature of the addict or addiction. We can help to change the old lie “Once an addict, always an addict,” by striving to make recovery more available. God, help us to remember this difference.”

It is also sometimes referred to as the Basic Text prayer, as this can be found in the preface of the Basic Text of Narcotics Anonymous. This harkens to the original thought of Alcoholics Anonymous that addiction isn’t curable, but it can be made manageable. Pair this with NA’s definition of an addict as a person whose life is controlled by drugs. This prayer is a reminder that recovering addicts will always be perceptible to the risk of falling back into addiction, but that doesn’t mean that they’re powerless against those substances. 

5. Serenity Prayer

“God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference.”

The Serenity Prayer is the most commonly incited in both Narcotics Anonymous and Alcoholics Anonymous; It is used to open and close out NA meetings and is said at large-scale Narcotics Anonymous conferences. Accredited to Reinhold Niebuhr, this prayer (the lines included above are merely an excerpt of what’s normally recited) serves as a focal point because it embodies the fundamental principles of Narcotics Anonymous–having trust, and being open to accepting help–which are ultimately the same principles for addiction treatment as a whole. 

Letting Go of Control In NA

The desire for control is believed to be the biggest roadblock in overcoming addiction. Giving up this desire and trusting control to external sources (whether they’re God, a higher power, or a more earthly cause) is key to unlearning the behaviors and mindset that got a person into their situation in the first place.

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Does Narcotics Anonymous Really Work?

Narcotics Anonymous (NA) is a 12-step program for people with drug addictions to find peer support. For many, NA is their first step into addiction recovery. However, these peer groups don’t count on the guidance and instructions of a licensed therapist. Because of this, some people believe Narcotics Anonymous doesn’t work to treat severe substance use disorders. Read on to learn more about NA and how it plays a significant role in the addiction recovery journey. 

What Is Narcotics Anonymous?

Narcotics Anonymous started in 1953 as an organization to help people recovering from drug addiction. It follows a similar 12-step program to Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) and even shares many of the same principles and practices. NA focuses on creating a community where people with substance use can help each other on the road to recovery. 

NA uses a book called the “Basic Text.” This book serves as a guide for recovery and advice for members. Like in other 12-step programs, NA members are encouraged to work with a sponsor to help them work the 12 steps. 

How Does Narcotics Anonymous Work?

Most NA meetings are public to anyone who wants to stop using drugs. While they focus primarily on narcotics, they don’t distinguish between any type of drugs, including alcohol. Any person struggling with a substance use disorder who wants to recover is welcome. 

Meetings are either discussion or speaker meetings. In the first ones, members share their stories of addiction, their recovery, and the struggles they’ve experienced. In speaker meetings, one or more members – usually one who have been sober – are asked to share their experiences with the group. 

New attendees are never required to share, and people are encouraged to share as much or as little as they feel comfortable with. Each meeting follows a step from the 12-step program and allows for a safe space for members to share their experiences. 

Does Narcotics Anonymous Work?

Statistics show that “community-based” or free-standing programs treat 53 percent of all drug abusers seeking recovery. About 42% of people found programs like AA helpful. However, in most cases (85%), people stopped NA attendance for a month or longer. Some studies give NA meetings an 8 out of 10 in how helpful they’re for their recovery and sobriety. Almost 25% of individuals wanted to rehab on their own—still, long-term studies are limited. Furthermore, most of the effectiveness of Narcotics Anonymous and other programs is based on perception. Because of this, experts agree that NA can help support the recovery process, but there’s limited evidence to prove it always works. 

The latest findings report the median length of abstinence by AA and NA members to be greater than five years. Of those, about 55% of NA members maintained abstinence for more than five years.

The Pros

  • Provides a sense of structure and community that can benefit those in recovery.
  • It gives people the tools to help navigate sobriety. 
  • Provides the opportunity to attend meetings online and worldwide.
  • NA meetings are free and often involve no cost or processes for the addict.
  • Works as an aftercare program that can promote sobriety and recovery.

The Cons

  • Success rates for 12-step programs are varied among studies and members.
  • The treatment approach is rooted in placing the responsibility of sobriety on the addict.
  • Meetings aren’t led by a licensed therapist or counselor.
  • NA meetings often follow philosophies rooted in religious beliefs that don’t align with all members. 
  • Lacks emphasizes the physical aspects of recovery, including detox and withdrawal symptoms. 

Finding NA Meetings Near You

If you are ready to start your recovery from drugs or alcohol, NA meetings are a great way to start. There are local NA helplines and websites that list the available meetings. Nowadays, you can also find virtual meetings happening almost 24/7. 

It’s easy to find meetings that align with your specific needs. For example, sessions for women only, men only, and even meetings structured for the LGBTQ+ population. These focused meetings can be helpful as they provide you with access to a supportive environment that understands your struggles and experiences. 

Getting Help for Narcotics Addiction

It’s possible to find recovery for addiction. Narcotics Anonymous meetings alone are usually not enough to help you beat addiction. If you or someone you know is dealing with drug addiction, contact your healthcare provider. You’ll find the support you need to achieve recovery through comprehensive, evidence-based therapies alongside group support meetings. 

Sources:

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3140338/

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK230393/

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10 Common Narcotics Anonymous Meeting Topics

Although individual therapy is at the core of addiction treatment, Narcotics Anonymous meetings and support group meetings are vital for recovery. Still, many are intimidated by the meeting topics and subject matters in these meetings.

Navigating Narcotics Anonymous: Common Meeting Topics

While each NA meeting will cover different topics, they follow a similar structure and allow you to share as much or as little as you want. Here are some of the most common NA meeting topics to think about. 

1. The 12-Steps

First and foremost, these meetings will talk about the 12 steps. The 12 steps of NA differ from AA’s, with each step beginning with “we” instead of “I.” These meetings are more about members recovering together. Expect each session to follow one of these steps and focus on the different learnings and topics discussed in each step. This is perhaps the most common topic in most NA meetings, and it’s at least partially addressed in every session. 

2. Keeping the Faith When Addiction Recovery Gets Tough

Like AA, Narcotics Anonymous also focuses on having faith in a higher power. This topic focuses on faith, hope, and how to start cultivating a relationship with that higher power. Contrary to popular belief, this higher power figure doesn’t have to be religious or spiritual. It can be anything that recovering addicts believe in. 

3. Facing Fears and Redefine Bravery

The most controversial and challenging topic to discuss in NA meetings is the topic of fear. In step 4, people are asked to do a written inventory of their past. The idea is to confront those character defects and face them. When discussing fear, meetings will discuss how to be courageous and redefine bravery as a valuable tool in recovery.

4. Exploring Shortcomings

The shortcomings topic is highly related to the higher power previously discussed. The idea is that after recognizing character defects, you can now figure out how to remove these defects to move forward. It explores the concept of humility and how you’ll be able to explore shortcomings in your recovery journey without giving up. 

5. Finding Forgiveness in Addiction

There’s a lot of blame for addiction. You blame yourself. You blame your family. You blame your environment. It’s easy to pinpoint the responsibility to something or someone. However, in most NA meetings, you’ll hear the topic of forgiveness, self-compassion, and willingness to move on. It’s important to forgive oneself to show actual progress and focus on the things you can control.

6. Making Amends in your Addiction Journey

Responsibility is by far the most common topic in NA meetings. In step number 9, you’re asked to make direct amends to people wherever possible. Nonetheless, the topic of amends is challenging for most people as it means going through the amends process and potentially receiving backlash throughout the process. Living your amends and moving forward can be scary for most people. This is why NA meetings try to discuss this topic as a group.

7. Self-Awareness

Not everyone recognizes this, but NA meetings give participants different tools for self-awareness that work as coping mechanisms. Prayer, meditation, and spirituality can be incredible tools to have in someone’s recovery journey. These tools can help prevent relapse and teach people how to navigate the early recovery days.

8. Goals for Addiction Recovery

Everyone has different goals in recovery. To promote acceptance and hope, many meetings will discuss short- and long-term goals. Sharing them in a group environment can help develop a sense of accountability and responsibility. It also sets the stage for an encouraging community to help everyone achieve their goals.

9. Taking Action in Treatment

Some people call it action. Others call it commitment. But, this topic is all about daily inventory and taking corrective actions as needed to stay in check. Those in early recovery will have to face complex challenges that can be tempting. Action helps them keep in check and keep the slate clean to keep working through the steps. 

10. Honesty

The topic of honesty is discussed in several of the 12 steps, and it’s an essential topic in group meetings. It’s about seeing clearly what you need to change about yourself and having the integrity to do so. But, most importantly, it’s about trusting the process and your progress. While not everyone’s journey is the same, you have to trust that you’re taking the proper steps for yourself.

Embracing Supporting Communities in Narcotics Anonymous

Narcotics Anonymous meetings and group therapy meetings are paramount for long-lasting recovery. As part of a comprehensive addiction treatment plan, group meetings help build a sense of belonging while promoting a healing and supportive environment. 

Sources: 

https://www.aa.org/assets/en_us/smf-56_en.pdf

https://na-in-place.org/lghg/prompts2.pdf

https://www.na.org/?ID=IDT-IDT

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The True History of Narcotics Anonymous

Since its establishment in 1935, Alcoholics Anonymous and its famous 12 steps have become ubiquitous with addiction treatment and recovery. It marked the tide of a new model of addiction. No longer was drug use and abuse a moral failing of the individuals afflicted, but a medical condition that was rooted in science and required treatment–not punishment–to fix. Despite this important shift in attitude, there was still a lingering stigma against drug users, especially those of the illegal or “hard” variety. Thus, Narcotics Anonymous was born.      

What Is Narcotics Anonymous and Why Was It Created?

Peer-based recovery groups offer support, advice, and a judgment-free space for addicted persons to overcome their addictions. Since Alcoholics Anonymous’ creation, it’s inspired dozens of other similar groups dedicated to other specific types of addictions such as gambling or eating. One of the most well-known, however, is another support group dedicated to substance addiction: Narcotics Anonymous. While it bears a number of similarities to its predecessor, NA was created with a specific intent for a very specific group of addicted persons, with modified literature to better meet the needs of those addicted to substances aside from alcohol.

The Origins of Narcotics Anonymous

In 1939 in Lexington, Kentucky, there was a doctor named Tom who struggled with alcohol addiction and later, a morphine addiction. A member of Alcoholics Anonymous, he found great success with the group for both addictions, and was one of the first instances where a person overcame a drug addiction through AA. Word spread quickly, and the influx of interest from other drug addicted persons made Tom realize the need for an approach that was specialized for other types of drug users, not just alcohol. 

Early NA Formation and Expansion

In 1947, with the permission and support of Alcoholics Anonymous, Tom and a handful of other Alcoholics Anonymous members who had other types of drug addiction established a new group called Addicts Anonymous. The group’s member base and reputation was rapidly expanding. By 1949, a second Addicts Anonymous chapter was created in New York City. It was with the creation of this second group where the name Narcotics Anonymous arose, in order to differentiate itself from the already well established AA of Alcoholics Anonymous. However, The formation of the chapter in California in 1953 is credited with being the year that Narcotics Anonymous was founded.

The Break

Why is it that the organization wasn’t considered to be founded until its Los Angeles group was created? In short, there was a splintering between the two organizations, namely because of the two different types of addictions. Alcohol addicts often opposed the presence and participation of drug addicts, and the leaders of AA took issue with the changes and lack of emphasis on alcohol in the new group’s modification of the traditions and steps. In 1953, Alcoholics Anonymous cemented the group’s unaligned interests by publishing their decision that AA was not a place for “narcotic or barbiturate” addicts.  

Without a shadow of a doubt that Alcoholics Anonymous and Narcotics Anonymous were no longer bound under the same entity, Jimmy K., one of the founders of the first Narcotics Anonymous group in Los Angeles, was named as president of the now independent organization. A new purpose was issued, as well as the modified Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions. These changes led to one of the most distinctive differences between the two organizations. Whereas Alcoholics Anonymous was focused on specific substances (namely alcohol), Narcotics Anonymous’ identity was based around the overcoming of addiction itself–which was a term that was rarely used in AA. 

NA Logo Meaning & Symbolism

The Narcotics Anonymous logo is a square within a circle, sometimes with the letters “NA” featured boldly in the center. The outer circle is meant to represent a comprehensive and “total” program that can fully encompass the needs of a recovering person. The square, which is tilted on a point, represents the goodwill that serves as the base of the organization. 

It also takes a literal meaning within NA’s symbolism as the square also acts as the base of a 3D pyramid of which each side of the square has a meaning: Self, Society, Service, and God. These segments join at the top to create the pinnacle of the pyramid which represents freedom. If you’re curious and want to learn more about Narcotics Anonymous, find an NA group meeting near you, today. 

Sources:

https://www.jscimedcentral.com/Addiction/addiction-5-1036.pdf

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Narcotics_Anonymous

https://na.org/admin/include/spaw2/uploads/pdf/FTP/English/Issue%20Discussion%20Topics/Leadership/Our%20Symbol.pdf