NA Meetings

Narcotics Anonymous provides fellowship meetings for people who want to stop using drugs. NA treats addiction as one problem showing up in different ways, so members include people struggling with heroin addiction, cocaine addiction, crack cocaine addiction, cannabis addiction, meth addiction, and any other type of illicit or prescription drug addiction. Narcotics Anonymous reached Britain in 1980 when the first London meeting opened, and today, groups meet in most UK towns and cities.

na meetings at rehab

How does Narcotics Anonymous work?

The core belief underpinning NA meetings is that those who have experienced drug addiction can help each other stay “clean” (drug-free). Nobody in the room is a professional, and nobody is paid to be there. What binds members together is that everyone attending has the same problem, and that shared experience is what makes it work. Other key pillars of Narcotics Anonymous include:

The 12 steps

The NA fellowship programme follows 12 steps adapted from Alcoholics Anonymous but written for addiction generally rather than alcohol specifically. The first step asks you to admit powerlessness over your addiction. This doesn’t mean powerlessness over heroin or cocaine or pills, but over the compulsive behaviour itself.

Later steps involve looking honestly at your past, acknowledging the harm that your addiction has caused, and eventually helping others who are where you once were.

Working the steps takes time, and in some cases, it can take years. The important thing is that you move at your own pace with guidance from others who have walked that same path.

The 12 traditions

The traditions govern how NA fellowship groups operate. They keep NA independent, leaderless, and focused solely on recovery. Meetings don’t take political stances, don’t affiliate with drug rehab centres, and don’t accept outside funding. The traditions also protect anonymity, with members using first names only, and nothing said in meetings ever repeated outside.

Membership requirement

Only one membership requirement exists, and that is wanting to stop using drugs. That really is it. You don’t have to be clean yet, and you don’t have to have attended drug detox or rehab. If you think that Narcotics Anonymous could help you, the door is always open.

What are the different NA meeting formats?

Most NA meetings happen in person at community venues, but online meetings have become a permanent part of NA since the pandemic. Virtual meetings follow the same formats as physical ones and run throughout the day, making them useful if you can’t get to a venue or want to try NA without walking into a room full of strangers first. Some of the different NA meetings formats include:

Open and closed meetings

Anyone can attend open NA meetings, including family, friends, researchers, and healthcare staff. Closed meetings restrict attendance to people who identify as having a drug addiction, which usually helps people open up more honestly.

Discussion meetings

This is where someone suggests a topic, and the room responds, person by person. These NA meetings are usually casual and conversational, and you can choose whether to speak or just sit quietly.

Speaker meetings

In a speaker meeting, an established member shares their full story, including how they started using drugs and how they found NA. These meetings are good for listening and learning without any pressure to contribute.

Step meetings

As their name suggests, these focus on one step per session, giving members time to understand each stage of the programme properly.

Literature meetings

NA publishes its own books and pamphlets, and these meetings involve reading passages aloud and talking through what they mean.

Beginner meetings

These are designed for people attending their first few meetings. They are often smaller and less formal, with lots of time for questions.

What is the role of sponsorship in NA?

A sponsor is an NA member who has completed the steps and agrees to help you do the same. They’re not your therapist or your supervisor, but are simply someone further along who remembers what early recovery felt like and can tell you what worked for them.

You pick your own sponsor after attending NA meetings for a while. Most people choose someone they’ve seen at meetings regularly, and if the fit isn’t right, you find someone else.

Sponsorship isn’t required, but most people who maintain long-term recovery point to their sponsor as essential. They are someone to ring when you’re about to slip up, and who won’t be shocked by anything you tell them.

What to expect at your first NA meeting?

NA meetings happen in ordinary places, like community centres and church halls. The setup is usually quite basic, with chairs arranged in rows or a circle, a table with leaflets, and probably a tea urn.

Getting there early helps because you can watch people arrive, and let someone know you’re new. NA members tend to remember their own first meeting clearly and will often go out of their way to put newcomers at ease.

The meeting opens with readings, which typically include a short prayer and a statement explaining what NA is. The person running the meeting will then describe the format, and then people will start saying their first names and identify themselves as drug addicts. When it reaches you, you can give your name, say nothing, or simply nod.

The main part of the meeting involves sharing, with anyone who wants to speak doing so without interruption. Nobody comments on what someone else says or offers solutions. That way, people can speak freely without being corrected or given unsolicited advice.

Crucially, everything stays confidential, with strict anonymity underpinning the whole thing. After the meeting closes, people often linger to chat and make friends, and these minutes can matter as much as the meeting itself.

What are the benefits of joining NA meetings?

Detox and rehab programmes provide medical care and professional support, but they only last a few weeks or months. NA lasts as long as you need it, and some people attend meetings for their entire life. Major benefits of NA fellowship include:

No cost to attend NA meetings
No need for a referral or medical assessment
Daily NA meetings, including weekends and evenings
NA fellowship groups available in most parts of the UK
Online NA meetings for those who cannot attend in person
One-to-one support and advice through sponsorship
Continues long after a professional drug addiction treatment programme has ended
Somewhere you can always go when you need advice or a boost

If you’re also dealing with co-occurring depression and addiction or anxiety and addiction, NA works well alongside professional mental health treatment, though it shouldn’t replace it.

How to find an NA meeting near you

NA UK lists meetings at ukna.org, and you can find your local fellowship by searching your town or postcode. Recovery.org.uk can also help you find NA meetings and connect you with other local support or addiction treatment. If you have any questions at all, please reach out through our contact us page.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between NA and AA?

AA focuses on alcohol. NA covers all drugs, including alcohol, as NA considers alcohol a drug like any other. The language differs too, as AA’s first step names alcohol specifically, while NA’s refers to addiction as a pattern rather than a substance. Many people attend both fellowships, as drug and alcohol addiction often go together.

Can I go to NA if I’m still using?

Yes, wanting to stop is the only requirement for attending an NA meeting. Plenty of people walk into their first meeting while still actively using, and NA won’t turn you away or demand proof of abstinence. This is very important because many members say they couldn’t have stopped without attending meetings while still in the grip of it.

What does “clean” mean in NA?

Clean means abstaining from all mind-altering substances, alcohol included. Some people find the term unhelpful because the opposite of “clean” has certain negative connotations. But generally, the term “clean” simply means substance-free.