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
Getting started on the Sixth and Seventh Steps isn't always easy. We may feel as though we have so much wrong with us that we are totally defective. We might feel like hiding under a rock. Under no circumstance would we want our fellow addicts to know about our inadequacies.
We will probably go through a time of examining everything we say and do in order to identify our character defects and make sure we suppress them. We may look back at one particular day, cringing at what we're certain is the most embarrassing thing we've ever said. We become determined to be rid of these horrible traits at all costs.
But nowhere in the Sixth or Seventh Steps does it say we can learn to control our defects of character. In fact, the more attention we focus on them, the more firmly entrenched they will become in our lives. It takes humility to recognize that we can't control our defects any more than we can control our addiction. We can't remove our own defects; we can only ask a loving God to remove them.
Letting go of something painful can be as difficult as letting go of something pleasant. But let's face it--holding on is a lot of work. When we really think about what we're holding onto, the effort just isn't worthwhile. It's time to let go of our character defects and ask God to remove them.
A Spiritual Principal a Day
It takes courage to give this NA way of life a try. Whether it's for the first or the fourteenth time, walking through the doors to our first meeting--or first meeting back--takes real determination. And that's just the beginning. Once we stop using, and our obsession fades, the challenges of living life on life's terms will call on us to be courageous again and again.
Lucky for us, the NA way gives us the gumption to persevere despite life's difficulties. We forge lasting friendships, learn from our fellow travelers, and find in them enough courage to transcend the challenges of each day. NA literature can be a source of strength and courage, too. We each find our own understanding between the lines and in the tough questions we ask ourselves. As we contemplate and apply the collective wisdom found in NA literature, we are emboldened to be more fully ourselves, drawing strength from our Higher Power.
With a firm foundation in recovery, we can move through the world with courage and confidence, though sometimes we decline opportunities to do so. "My 'fear goggles' kept my focus on the potential for failure or rejection," a member shared. "I was afraid to start or end relationships, to express my feelings, to come out. I was unwilling to be fully myself and paid a price for my lack of courage. In my effort to avoid pain, I'd also sidestepped chances to find real joy." That's no way to live.
The example of others and our faith in a Higher Power inspire us to live courageously, despite a lack of certainty. Life is a risky business, and things won't always work out in our favor. As one addict put it, "I'm not God's little honey bunny, and the answers to my prayers aren't always 'yes.' But even when things don't go my way, I still walk with courage. It helps to know that you folks will pick me up if I stumble." We dare to dream--to try and fail and try again.
