New to NA?

NA is a member-driven, international organization in which no dues or fees are charged for membership. All we ask is for a potential member to have a desire to stop using drugs. Members recover from the disease of addiction by application of the principles contained in the Twelve Steps. Our program is based on a set of spiritual principles, and we have no affiliation with any organized religion.

Narcotics Anonymous is a twelve-step approach to recovery with the primary purpose of helping any individual stop using drugs. NA’s program focuses on an addict’s recovery from the disease of addiction, rather than any specific drug. Through our group meetings and the therapeutic value of one addict helping another, addicts learn how to live drug-free and productive lives.

Narcotics Anonymous is a global, community-based organization with a multi-lingual and multicultural membership. NA was founded in 1953 with the support of the fellowship of Alcoholics Anonymous. Although our growth was minimal during our initial twenty years as an organization, now over 60-years old, the number of members and meetings has increased dramatically. Today, NA members hold more than 67,000 meetings weekly in 139 countries. We speak 65 different languages with recovery literature is now translated in 49 of them. We offer recovery from the effects of addiction through working a twelve-step program. Successful members build community through regular attendance at group meetings. The group atmosphere provides help from peers and offers an ongoing support network for addicts who wish to pursue and maintain a drug-free lifestyle.

Our name, Narcotics Anonymous, is not meant to imply a focus on any particular drug; NA's approach makes no distinction between drugs which include alcohol. Membership is free, and we have no affiliation with any organizations outside of NA including governments, religions, law enforcement groups, medical facilities, or psychiatric associations. We maintain a spirit of cooperation with others seeking to help addicts and strive to reach a day when every addict in the world has an opportunity to experience our message of recovery in his or her own language and culture.

Click HERE for an archive of documents related to NA's history.

While this decision is always left up to the individual, the chapter on the Third Tradition in "It Works: How and Why" states:

"Narcotics Anonymous offers recovery to addicts around the world. We focus on the disease of addiction rather than any particular drug. Our message is broad enough to attract addicts from any social class or nationality. When new members come to meetings, our sole interest is in their desire for freedom from active addiction and how we can be of help."

Please see these Informational Pamphlets for more information:

IP #7 - "Am I an addict?"

IP #22 - "Welcome to NA".

Anonymous Am I An Addict Questionnaire?

While this decision is always left up to the individual, the chapter on the Third Tradition in "It Works: How and Why" states:

"Narcotics Anonymous offers recovery to addicts around the world. We focus on the disease of addiction rather than any particular drug. Our message is broad enough to attract addicts from any social class or nationality. When new members come to meetings, our sole interest is in their desire for freedom from active addiction and how we can be of help."

Please see these Informational Pamphlets for more information:

IP #7 - "Am I an addict?"

Anonymous Am I An Addict Questionnaire?

IP #22 - "Welcome to NA".

If you'd like to learn more about Narcotics Anonymous from our members and have your questions answered in person, the Welcome to NA Workshop is a great way to learn what NA has to offer. This meeting will be Virtual on the 1st and 3rd Tuesday of each month at 6:00 PM and in person on the 2nd Tuesday (See bullets below).

You'll have the opportunity to attend a short workshop that will give you an accelerated understanding of what NA is all about and how to navigate their way around the recovery process in our fellowship. Volunteers for this committee have the opportunity to share their experience with newcomers in an intimate presentation, question and answer workshop format.

• Fellowship Development and the Welcome To NA Workshop committee have created an OnDemand version of our Welcome to NA Workshop.  For OnDemand content see the YouTube link here:  https://youtu.be/8GPixN-uhwE

• The Workshop  will be virtual on the 1st and 3rd Tuesday of each month at 6:00 PM. Workshop Zoom ID: 846-1970-9842

• You can attend in-person on the 2nd Tuesday of each month at 6:00 PM. Community of Christ Church 1786 2nd ave., Walnut Creek, CA. 

• Check out our Flyer HERE

If you have any questions or need additional information you can Email the Welcome To NA Workshop Committee at Welcome@ContraCostaNA.org

Narcotics Anonymous meetings are a gathering of recovering addicts, who meet regularly for the purpose of recovery from the disease of addiction. If you’re planning to go to a Narcotics Anonymous meeting for the first time, it might be nice to know what to expect. The information in this section is meant to give you an understanding of what happens in our meetings. The words we use and the way we act might be unfamiliar to you at first, but hopefully this information can help you get the most out of your first NA meeting. If you show up early, leave late, and ask lots of questions before and after the meeting, you’ll probably get the most out of every meeting you attend..

Although meetings may be located at a variety of publicly accessible buildings, meeting locations do not imply affiliation. Meetings use a variety of formats such as Participation, Speaker, Topic Discussion, Book Study, New Comer, Question and Answer, etc. There are no attendance monitors at meetings and we are under no surveillance at any time. Most meetings last from 1 to 1 ½ hours. When you arrive at your first meeting you can expect to see recovering addicts welcoming each other and socializing. It is not uncommon for new members to be warmly welcomed.

You may see information pamphlets, books and activity flyers. Feel free to take pamphlets and flyers. Books are for sale at cost. The leader typically will open the meeting with a moment of silence followed by readings, and announcements. The leader will then ask if newcomers and visitors would like to introduce themselves. Participation in meetings is voluntary. The leader opens up the meeting for members to speak on any subject related to recovery. Members will speak, sharing their experience, strength and hope. Sharing is voluntary. We do not respond to other people’s shares (as in conversation) but from his or her own experience. While members are sharing we refrain from side conversations and other distracting activities that may disrupt the meeting.

There are no fees or dues to attend a NA meeting. We are self supporting through our own contributions. You will see a basket being passed, to collect donations from members to pay rent for the meeting place, purchase literature, refreshments, etc.

As Narcotics Anonymous continues to grow as a worldwide fellowship we have found it difficult to obtain and keep suitable meeting locations. With that in mind we ask that members please:

• Be quiet when arriving and departing from meeting facilities

• Remember that others may be offended by our tone and language.

• Dispose of trash and cigarette butts appropriately.

"...People have all sorts of reasons for attending NA meetings, but the reason for each meeting is to give NA members a place to share recovery with other addicts. If you are not an addict, look for an open meeting, which welcomes nonaddicts. If you’re an addict or think you might have a drug problem, we suggest a meeting every day for at least ninety days to get to know NA members and our program..."

NA literature is also a great source of information about our program. Our Basic Text, Narcotics Anonymous, or our information pamphlets (IPs) are a good place to start. Most meetings offer IPs for free, while books are generally sold at the group’s cost. Most of our literature is also available to read on this website.

Please come check out a meeting and "Keep Coming Back!"

We have some Free to view and download Informational pamphlets that might answer some questions.

They can be found HERE