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
The foundation of our lives is what the rest of our lives is built upon. When we were using, that foundation affected everything we did. When we decided that recovery was important, that's where we began to put our energy. As a result, our whole lives changed. In order to maintain those new lives, we must maintain the foundation of those lives: our recovery program.
As we stay clean and our lifestyles change, our priorities will also change. Work and school may become important because they improve the quality of our lives. And new relationships may bring excitement and mutual support. But we need to remember that our recovery program is the foundation upon which our new lives are built. Each day, we must renew our commitment to recovery, maintaining that as our top priority.
A Spiritual Principle a Day
That awkward moment . . . We shuffle up to the door of our first meeting. Some guy is standing there with a big smile and asks our name. We reach out our hand to shake his, but instead of taking it, he puts his arms around us. "We hug in NA!"
For some of us, that hug is the first show of affection we've received in a very long time. That simple, welcoming action can be reassuring (You're going to be okay), affirming (You are in the right place), even restorative (You are loved and accepted). We hear time and time again, throughout our literature and in meetings, how our self-love tank was on empty when we got to NA. Later, when we inevitably make a mess of things in one way or another, our fellow members tell us with a hug: "You are not alone." That NA hug is an expression of unconditional support, and it's a distinctive part of our NA culture. It's meant to ignite that slow process of building (or rebuilding) our capacity for compassion, acceptance, forgiveness, and love for ourselves.
For many of us, receiving that love from others is a challenge, in the beginning and even with time clean. The idea of being loved by strangers who expect nothing in return can feel unsettling or outright bizarre, despite our loneliness.
And for others, it's not the love we balk at--it's the hug. We didn't grow up that way, in our families or cultures. Or, being touched is not our thing, period, and we have our reasons for it. Let's be straight-up: Some of us don't want to be hugged, even by those with the best of intentions. Perhaps the most open-minded, accepting, and compassionate way to show that NA love is to watch for the signals others give and follow their lead. As one member commented, "There's only one requirement for membership in NA, after all--and engaging in the NA hug ain't it!" Each of us gets to determine if, when, and how we want to be hugged.
