Data from the National Institute on Drug Abuse shows as many as 23.5 million people are in need of drug treatment with only 2.6 million actually receive the help they need from a treatment facility. Many people who complete a treatment program enter into long-term recovery programs that are designed to help them remain abstinent.

Narcotics Anonymous has a long history of helping people remain on the path to recovery. The 12 Step program approach provides a support system and roadmap for those wanting to live a drug-free lifestyle.

Narcotics Anonymous

First established in the early 1950s, Narcotics Anonymous or NA is modeled after Alcoholics Anonymous (AA), a similar organization first started in 1939. Though the principles of addiction apply in the same ways for both alcohol and narcotic addictions, NA specifically addresses the challenges and issues faced by people who suffer from narcotics addictions.

Narcotics Anonymous exists as a worldwide organization with chapters and meeting groups in most U.S. cities. NA members meet on a regular basis to discuss issues in their lives and apply the 12 Step program approach to maintaining sobriety on a day-to-day basis.

The 12 Step Tradition

The 12 Step tradition approaches any form of addiction as a disease of both the body and mind. Membership in the program requires participants to approach their recovery with a willingness to work through the personal issues that brought about the need to use drugs.

The Narcotics Anonymous 12 Step approach is based on three guiding principles:

• Recovery is a day-by-day process much like the path to addiction
• Spiritual awakening is a core component of the recovery process
• Honesty, open-mindedness and a willingness to learn

While spiritual awareness is a primary aspect of the 12 Step tradition, Narcotics Anonymous does not function as a religious organization. The spiritual component centers around the concept of a Higher Power rather than any one deity or religious tradition.

The 12 Steps

The 12 Steps for Narcotics Anonymous is a modified version of the steps used by Alcoholics Anonymous. As with AA, the first step, where members admit they have an addiction problem, is the most important one of all. The remaining steps build upon an awareness of powerless to overcome addiction’s control in a person’s life without the help of a Higher Power.

The 12 Step approach becomes a process where members take moral inventories of their character and their actions. Ultimately the program becomes a lifelong journey in which members take whatever steps are necessary to repair the hurt they’ve caused in their own lives as well as in the lives of others.

Working the Steps

Narcotics Anonymous members make it a habit to attend meetings on a regular basis. Members are encouraged to attend meetings on a more frequent basis during difficult times in their lives. Meetings involve discussions about each person’s experiences, challenges, goals and ways to draw strength from a Higher Power.

Throughout the course of recovery, 12 Step members conduct their lives based on several promises made to themselves and others. These promises incorporate the principles of living in peace, being compassionate towards self and other and developing a positive attitude and outlook on life.