I'm asking this here, because I have yet to find the answers I'm looking for anywhere else. I'm an alcoholic and and addict, and have typically sided on the AA side of things. To be honest I wasn't sure I was an addict when I firt started coming around. It wasn't until a relapse or two fueled by drugs that I came to that understanding. Anyway, enough about me. In my hometown there aren't alot of recovery meetings and unfortunately alot of the AA meetings are just open discussion meetings where the old timers talk about how wonderful it is that they're so humble. So since I have gone to NA meetings before I thought I'd check them out and see what I could find. I've been hoping to find some newcomers to help because the NA meetings arond here are where most of them go. I've read the basic text and discussed it with my sponsor who worked the steps in NA before coming to AA. My problem has been that there doesn't seem to be much in the way of instructions in the Basic Text, it's more of just an explaination of the steps. Am I just not looking in the right place? Is there some other NA literature that is more imperative/instructional. I only ask because I don't want to disrupt anyone's fellowship and I really strive to filter what I say at meetings of either group through the appropiate literature. So, is there something else I should be reading? Are there hardcore NA's out there just like there are AA's? Thanks Aaron
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Recovery isn't for people who want it or need it, it's for people who DO it.
Welcome to the Miracles in Progress NA discussion board. To answer your question, there are some other pieces of NA literature that dive a little more deeply into the steps. There is a book called "It Works How and Why" that cover both the steps and traditions in more detail. There is also "The Step Working Guide" that contains both descriptions and questions for each of the twelve steps. Finally, there are some pamphlets available that focus on a particular step ("Living the Program" for step 10 and "Fourth Step Guide"), and others that focus more on the principles of the steps rather than the actual step itself ("The Triangle of Self-Obsession," "Self Acceptance," etc.)
There is a complete list of NA literature at www.na.org
Aaron, I hope this little bit of information helps. All the best to you in your journey. You are welcome to post here any time and to participate in our recovery related discussions.
"If we do an honest examination of exactly what we are giving, we are better able to evaluate the results we are getting."Chapter 10 - Emotional Pain - NA Way of Life.
Aaron, I too have dabbled in both programs, and found after a time that I am an addict. A lot of AA's are not willing to talk about the drugs that held me captive (and still can). So I too am fellowshipping with NA'a and trying to get a grasp on NA's way of working the steps.
I know that if I can continue having a spiritual experience, I do not and will not have to use, Just For Today. I too am benefitting from the suggestions here, so thanks for posting this, as it has helped me too!
Welcome Aaron, why are there 2 Aa's in your name thats my question :)
Anyhow I found the text book the most comprehensive and easy to understand book yet comared to the big book which was written in a nera where they talked differently then we do today, it was difficult for me to understand.
The NA book is nice due to the appendix I use it like a dictionary at times.
I came to NA after years and years of only going to AA and found it was exactly what I needed, just seems to help me understand things better and theres something more I just haven't pin pointed it yet, something spiritual.
Again Welcome be sure to read the storys that is where people describe there experience strength and hope and where you will find much help with actually life on lifes terms ....greetings.
Hi Aaron, I believe you may have answered your own question. The solution is in the steps. In NA we keep it as simple as possible. We only have one promise, freedom from active addiction. I have experience complicating things early on in my recover. I used to be "clean and sober" and "addict and alocoholic" until some one pointed out that if that is what I was then that means that I could be clean and not sober or sober but not clean. Today, I don't seperate the diseases, I know that alcohol is a drug that I am also clean from. There are NA "natzees" also. One thing that I like in NA is that we focus on recovery from the disease of addiction. Not the disease of a liquid. ILS. John
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When I truly believe in something, there will be no need to convince everyone else.
im not resentful about the other Program,,, people can draw their own conclusions,,, but boy would I hate to go back to those early days of recovery,,, there wasnt even a variety of members in theother Fellowship ! jUST A ANDFUL OF EM SQUABBLING WITH EACH OTHER MOST OF THE TIME AND I DIDNT GET RCOVERY AT THE EMOTIONAL LEVEL!!! And its an awful feeling for an addict to be in reovery without other recovering addicts !! I now for certain that its anothe addict hat will completely identify with my story,my feelings and thoughts. without condemnation or rejecion ! Most of all NA aks me to recover for the dis---ease of addiction,, and not just some particular substance,,, indeed abstinence for all mood changing and ind alterin substances keeps my disease in check,,, I do rcover and Iv become a new person in recovery,, the disease dosent control my life anymore,,, all because of te 12 Step Tradition of NA only,,, i never want to try any other "methods or othere Fellowships anymore "
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Raman an addict clean and serene just for today in NA Worldwide ; live to love and love to live the NA Way !!!
In spite of what some will say, a drug is a drug, whether herbal, powder, pill, liquid, or supository, they are all the same to us. We're addicts pure & simple. Drugs & alchohol, is like fruit & apples, or carrots & vegtables. Some fellowships just don't get this, which is why when I came to my first NA meeting (after doing the revolvein door at another fellowship), I felt like I had come home, the people in NA were like me, & didn't care what drugs I had been using (or how Ihad used them). A lot of things have changed since that 1st meeting, but my clean date hasn't. It is still 2/2/97. I thank the god of my understanding for bringing me to a place where there are others like me (NA), & I thank NA for leading me back to the god of my understanding.......... Life can get good here ;)
I am a member of NA and my sponsor and I use "It Works How and Why" and to work steps I work it through the Step Working Guide. These books should be available for sale at any NA meeting. I just finished working my fourth step a few months ago and my sponsor had me do it through a packet that she received from her sponsor when she was in AA. I really enjoyed it and found it to be thorough. THere is also an IP for working the fourth step. If you go to the Narcotics Anonymous world service site you can order literature and they even have started packets for new groups forming. You could form a new NA group in your communitte to give back what was so freely given to you.
Hi Aaron, everybody else has answered your questions about the lit. And I know how at AA they tend to ask that the discissions be limited to alcohol only. You also stated that you wanted to know how to "filter what you say at meetings"; I wanted to tell you that you must absolutely NOT filter what you say. Go to NA, speak the truth, your truth, what your feeling and thinking. No one will judge you. They've probably been there. Felt what you're feeling and will understand, sympathise and or empathise. It's what so great about this fellowship.You're really not alone. At the end of it, you'll be surprised at how many people come up to you and relate.
