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
There are days when some of us wallow in self-pity. It's easy to do. We may have expectations about how our lives should be in recovery, expectations that aren't always met. Maybe we've tried unsuccessfully to control someone, or we think our circumstances should be different. Perhaps we've compared ourselves with other recovering addicts and found ourselves lacking. The more we try to make our life conform to our expectations, the more uncomfortable we feel. Self-pity can arise from living in our expectations instead of in the world as it actually is.
When the world doesn't measure up to our expectations, it's often our expectations that need adjusting, not the world. We can start by comparing our lives today with the way they used to be, developing gratitude for our recovery. We can extend this exercise in gratitude by counting the good things in our lives, becoming thankful that the world does not conform to our expectations but exceeds them. And if we continue working the Twelve Steps, further cultivating gratitude and acceptance, what we can expect in the future is more growth, more happiness, and more peace of mind.
We've been given much in recovery; staying clean has paid off. Acceptance of our lives, just for today, frees us from our self-pity.
A Spiritual Principal a Day
Working the Twelve Steps of NA teaches us to make decisions for ourselves and take deliberate actions in our lives. We no longer allow circumstances and our disease to dictate our every move. We choose to practice forgiveness and try not to worry too much about when and if our loved ones forgive us. (We\'d been pretty rotten at times, after all.) We focus on matters that are in our control and do the work necessary to forgive ourselves and others. NA service provides plenty of opportunities to apply this spiritual principle. As we serve alongside fellow members, it\'s almost inevitable that we\'ll bump heads from time to time. For the most part, we manage to set aside our disagreements, uniting to support the addict who still suffers. But practicing unity does not neutralize the need for forgiveness. \"Despite acting in unity, I was still holding a grudge,\" a member shared. \"It occurred to me that service might be more pleasant if I would forgive some of those I serve with.\" Many of us have taken a turn standing on the NA soapbox in defense of what we believed was best for the Fellowship. We can forgive others for being irritatingly passionate because we\'ve been that, too. Instead of keeping a record of each other\'s worst moments, we can make a decision to focus on the good work they\'re doing. We adjust our perspective to take the bigger picture into account. None of us is all good or all bad. By practicing forgiveness, we allow ourselves and others to be human. Sure, we make mistakes, but our worst moments don\'t need to define us. By practicing forgiveness, we can shift our focus and appreciate the strengths each of us brings to the table.
