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 laughter in our meetings often surprises the newcomer. As a group, we appreciate the healing that healthy laughter brings. Even if we are deeply troubled, the joy that often fills the meeting rooms allows us, for a time, to have some fun with our recovery. Through humor, we can be temporarily relieved of our obsession with self.
Life on life's terms is often anything but funny. But if we can keep a sense of humor about us, things that might overwhelm us can be made bearable. How often have we allowed ourselves to be upset by incidents that, taken with a bit of humor, are not all that intolerable? When we become annoyed with people and events, a search for the humor in the situation can put things in a brighter perspective. An ability to find humor in a difficult situation is a gift to develop.
A Spiritual Principle a Day
We may have hoped for easy answers to our drug problem when we attended our first meeting. We'd hoped for a quick fix, some simple formula to provide relief from our troubled existence; with that, we could be on our way. "I was hoping you'd cast a spell on me and then send me off with a reminder to take cold showers and sleep with a chicken bone under my pillow," one addict joked. To our disappointment, no one promised us instant liberation. Worse, it was clear that working all Twelve Steps would take some time.
Although the simple equation we sought proved elusive, we warm up to the idea that recovery is less like math and more like one of Grandma's unwritten recipes--a little of this, some of that, and so on. Our longing for respite or connection or awakening gets us to meeting after meeting. Without our fully recognizing it, willingness shows us the way.
We hear a member celebrating 30 days clean explain, "I went to meetings every day and didn't take anything in between." Duly noted. Could this be the formula we were looking for? It seems almost too simple and also impossible. But maybe it's a good start--hello, open-mindedness! We're willing to give it a try.
As our heads start to clear, we awaken to the possibilities of a better life. We gravitate toward another formula that seems doable: "Go to meetings, get a sponsor, read the literature." Check, check, and check. We willingly take these actions and practice humility by keeping things simple. We're handed a pink card with the "Just for Today" reading and, as we read it aloud, another light comes on. This seemed like a practical approach and we were willing to try it.
Our experience at 30 days reveals the value of taking action. We made it this far! Holding up our keytag, we share, "I'm celebrating 30 days today because I went to meetings every day and didn't take anything in between. I picked up the Basic Text and got a sponsor and I'm finding that there is life after drugs. As much as I wanted to figure out this recovery thing, I'm learning to just do what you do, and it seems to work." And just like that, we're carrying the message and offering hope to every addict in the room.
