What is Narcotics Anonymous (NA)?

The short answer

Narcotics Anonymous (NA) is a free, worldwide fellowship of people recovering from drug addiction. It is non-professional and peer-led, meaning members help one another rather than relying on clinicians. NA grew out of the same 12-step tradition as Alcoholics Anonymous, but it is deliberately drug-inclusive: it does not single out any one substance, and members regard alcohol simply as another drug.

The only requirement

The single requirement for membership is a desire to stop using. There are no dues or fees, no forms to fill in, and no one is turned away. You can attend whether you have years of recovery or have not yet stopped — the door is open either way.

How the program works

At the heart of NA is the idea that an addict helping another addict is uniquely powerful. The program rests on a few familiar pillars:

• Meetings — regular gatherings where members share their experience honestly and support one another.
• The 12 steps — a personal process of honesty, change, and connection, worked at your own pace.
• Sponsorship — a more experienced member who walks alongside you and shares what worked for them.
• One day at a time — the practice of staying clean for today rather than being overwhelmed by forever.

What a meeting feels like

A typical NA meeting is people sitting together, reading a little, and sharing about their week and their recovery. You can simply listen — no one will pressure you to speak. Members identify by first name only, confidentiality is taken seriously, and "what is said here stays here" is a core courtesy. Meetings are free, though a basket may be passed for expenses.

Spiritual, not religious

Like other 12-step fellowships, NA describes itself as spiritual rather than religious. It asks members to draw on a "higher power" of their own understanding, which each person is free to interpret in their own way. It is not tied to any church or denomination.

Where to start

NA's own website has a meeting search covering in-person, phone, and online meetings around the world. Online meetings run at all hours, so support is there even late at night.