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
To those of us accustomed to being unwelcome nuisances to family, friends, and others, the hospitality we encounter in NA can be both unexpected and unfamiliar. "People I used with stopped wanting me around even when I was willing to share my drugs," one member shared. "Talk about feeling like an outcast!"
That special welcome we felt as newcomers in NA inspires many of us to go out of our way to help other newcomers feel welcome. "When I was in early recovery, I asked my sponsor how to be a home-group member," one addict wrote. "My sponsor told me I could start by making sure that no one new to the meeting ever leaves without being welcomed."
The act of welcoming others has a big impact on us, too. For people prone to self-centeredness, it's a great relief to put our own wants, needs, and feelings on the back burner long enough to concern ourselves with how others feel. Our sense of attention and concern expands, allowing us to notice who is around and what they might be feeling. As many of us have heard, we build self-esteem by doing esteemable things. We don't even need to do much to help anxious, scared, or alienated addicts begin to feel calm, safe, and welcome in NA--and doing so rewards us in ways we cannot measure.
