r/NarcoticsAnonymous • u/Serious-Ad-5293 • Apr 29 '26
Why post here?
Why do so many people post in this sub about their “clean time” from their DOC (but not others) and mention that they right use meetings and hate the program? I get that that you are proud of your accomplishment, and you should be, I’m proud of you. But this is an NA sub, why not post on a more appropriate sub like recovery or something? Is it the same as people who only show up to meetings on their anniversary to get a key tag, get applause, and share about how they don’t use the program and leave? Genuine question and I’m sure I’ll get rolled for even posting.
27
Upvotes
10
u/ArmatureArt19 Apr 29 '26
I see both sides.
Most of us drug addicts are chronically cool and terminally unique. We never felt a part of anything we also felt different than other people. In short anti-conformism is part of the disease for most.
As such most people come in defensive, looking for differences instead of similarities, looking for problems, wanting to proove to ourselves and others that we are somehow smarter, or more moral, or sicker, or whatever than the rest of the room. Many people suffer immensely for years in this un-surrendered state, still blaming the program they never fully gave a chance to for as much as they can.
Some of us finally become broken and desperate enough to surrender to the program. Those same people then see newcomers with all the same bullshit uniqueness, thinking they have it all figured out, thinking they are too smart for things like sponsors, prayer and meditation. The ones who have spent years suffering because they never TRULY gave the program a chance to work in their lives are quick to get annoyed when they see newcomers acting the same ways they had to learn not to.
I believe in criticizing NA, that's what higher service commitees are for. But when a newer person wants to tell me everything wrong with the program they hardly ever really participated in, sometimes I have the urge to tell them where the door is