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
The Ninth Step tells us to make direct amends wherever possible. Our experience tells us to follow up those direct amends with long-lasting changes in our attitudes and our behavior--that is, with indirect amends.
For example, say we've broken someone's window because we were angry. Looking soulfully into the eyes of the person whose window we've broken and apologizing would not be sufficient. We directly amend the wrong we've done by admitting it and replacing the window--we mend what we have damaged.
Then, we follow up our direct amends with indirect amends. If we've acted out on our anger, breaking someone's window, we examine the patterns of our behavior and our attitudes. After we repair the broken window, we seek to repair our broken attitudes as well--we try to "mend our ways." We modify our behavior, and make a daily effort not to act out on our anger.
We make direct amends by repairing the damage we do. We make indirect amends by repairing the attitudes that cause us to do damage in the first place, helping insure we won't cause further damage in the future.
A Spiritual Principal a Day
Simplicity is an essential principle of Tradition Eleven and of our entire program. Our approach to public relations is to inform the world about NA and let our simple message of freedom from active addiction lead the way. We trust that to be attractive enough. NA doesn't run special promotions: Stay clean for one year and all your dreams will come true! We don't promise financial stability or a happy marriage. Lifelong problem-free serenity is not guaranteed as a result of meeting attendance, stepwork, and service.
Our simple offer of hope and freedom is enough. According to one member: "We don't need a complicated message to attract people. We are complex enough! Our message isn't simple for the sake of simplicity. It simply works." Both NA's message and our primary purpose are identifiable, relatable, and digestible. They're also adaptable, not bound by the specifics of a single language or culture. Since our message is applicable for addicts all over the world, dare we say, it's universal?
The simplicity of Tradition Eleven is a relief for most of us. When we do public relations, we let folks know who we are, what we do, and how we do it. With H&I, sponsorship, or speaking from the podium, we don't have to do more than share what's worked for us. We share the message just as it was shared with us. We lean forward and witness its impact--on our own lives, for those near to us, and those far away.
