Welcome to Narcotics Anonymous of NJ. Our Message Is…
That an addict, any addict can stop using drugs,
lose the desire to use, and find a new way to live.
Helpline
If you feel you have a problem with drugs, call our helpline
Events
See upcoming NA events and activities in NJ
Narcotics Anonymous 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.
– Narcotics Anonymous Basic Text, page 9
Recovery from addiction is possible and available through the 12 Steps and 12 Traditions of Narcotics Anonymous.
Narcotics Anonymous is FREEDOM from active addiction.
Narcotics Anonymous is an international, community-based association of recovering drug addicts with over 61,000 weekly meetings in over 131 countries worldwide.
Just for Today
When new in recovery, most of us had at least one person we just couldn't stand. We thought that person was the rudest, most obnoxious person in the program. We knew there was something we could do, some principle of recovery we could practice to get over the way we felt about this person--but what? We asked our sponsor for guidance. We were probably assured, with an amused smile, that if we just kept coming back, we'd see the person get better. That made sense to us. We believed that the steps of NA worked in the lives of everyone. If they could work for us, they could work for this horrible person, too.
Time passed, and at some point we noticed that the person didn't seem as rude or obnoxious as before. In fact, he or she had become downright tolerable, maybe even likeable. We got a pleasant jolt as we realized who had really gotten better. Because we had kept coming back, because we had kept working the steps, our perception of this person had changed. The person who'd plagued us had become "tolerable" because we'd developed some tolerance; he or she had become "likeable" because we'd developed the ability to love.
So who really gets better? We do! As we practice the program, we gain a whole new outlook on those around us by gaining a new outlook on ourselves.
A Spiritual Principle a Day
A nudge from a sponsor, a longing to be a part of NA, a hunger for validation--any of these might be our initial inspiration to serve. Regardless of what motivates us, the rewards of service quickly become apparent. It feels good to be part of the beehive of activity that goes into keeping the doors open and meetings running smoothly. We feel a sense of belonging as home-group members greet us by name and invite us to check out other meetings. We welcome new members and introduce them to others who have their best interest at heart. Realizing that we fit that description, too, we offer our phone number and some advice: "If you don't pick up, you can't get high. Call one of us if the disease starts talking to you." We're humbled to think that our willingness to be of service might make a difference for a potential new member. Viewed with an open mind, we realize that it's already made a difference for us.
While groups remain the most powerful vehicle for carrying the message, the NA service infrastructure exists to amplify our ability to fulfill this primary purpose. Members contribute to the good and necessary work organized by service bodies large and small. All of these efforts are geared to helping more addicts find their way to the rooms. We offer our time and effort and find ourselves becoming more invested, more connected, and more alive. Our willingness to show up and pitch in means that our groups have current meeting directories, that cops and doctors send addicts our way, that websites provide the latest information, and that incarcerated members get sponsors and NA literature.
Our primary purpose inspires all of these service efforts and more. We show up with the still-suffering addict in mind and find that our burdens are lessened by our generosity. Our service to NA affects who we are and how we interact with the world. Within NA and beyond, we do loving things for our families and communities and experience love in return. Our insights compel us to keep showing up and giving back and enjoying the rewards.
