What is Narcotics Anonymous?
Narcotics Anonymous (NA) is a nonprofit fellowship or society that provides support for people recovering from drug addiction. Modeled after Alcoholics Anonymous, NA consists of a series of support group meetings held regularly across cities in the United States and globally. Membership is free, and meetings are open to anyone with a drug problem seeking help.
Church of the Pilgrims
- Address: 22nd & P Streets NW, Washington, DC
- Meetings: Daily at noon & 6:00 pm
First Baptist Church
- Address: 132 8th St NW, Washington, DC
- Meetings: Mondays at 6:30 pm, Wednesdays at 7:00 pm
Shiloh Baptist Church
- Address: 1500 9th St NW, Washington, DC
- Meetings: Tuesdays & Fridays at 7:00 pm
Founded in the 1950s, Narcotics Anonymous now holds over 70,000 meetings globally each week. NA meetings provide a supportive community for those in recovery from drug addiction.
The 12 Steps of NA
NA, or Narcotics Anonymous, outlines a 12-step program to help people overcome addiction. The 12 steps aim to motivate members to make positive changes in their lives.
The steps are:
- Admit powerlessness over addiction and that life has become unmanageable
- Come to believe that a Power greater than oneself can restore sanity
- Make decision to turn will and life over to care of God as understood
- Make searching and fearless moral inventory of self
- Admit to God, self and another human being the exact nature of wrongs
- Become ready to have God remove all defects of character
- Humbly ask God to remove shortcomings
- Make list of all persons harmed and become willing to make amends
- Make direct amends wherever possible, except when to do so would injure
- Continue personal inventory and admit wrongs when they occur
- Seek through prayer and meditation to improve conscious contact with God
- Carry message to other addicts and practice principles in all affairs
Getting Started with NA in Washington
Use meeting search on Methadone.org to find local meetings in your area. Both in-person and online/virtual meetings are available in most places.
Attending Your First Local NA Meeting
There are two main types of NA meetings in Washington, District Of Columbia:
- Open meetings – Anyone is welcome to attend, including family members and friends.
- Closed meetings – Only those with a drug addiction seeking recovery may attend.
Arrive early and introduce yourself as a new local member. Share your experiences if comfortable. At your first meeting, you may receive welcome keychain tags marking milestones in your recovery:
- 30 days
- 60 days
- 1 year
- And more
Some things to keep in mind for your first meeting:
- Arrive early
- Introduce yourself
- Listen to others share
- Share only if comfortable
- Collect keychain for progress
NA provides a supportive community focused on recovery from drug addiction. With both in-person and virtual meetings available, it can be a lifeline.