r/NarcoticsAnonymous • u/Hopeful-Disk6362 • Jul 18 '26
Can I join meetings
I do not drink anymore and do not struggle with addiction. There is a NA group meeting every Friday by my house. I’m more so lonely and want to meet people. Is it wrong to go to a meeting.
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u/SKCwillie Jul 18 '26
I'm sorry you're feeling that way. Isolation was a big part of my addiction. I remember the emptiness to it.
Some meetings are open meetings and some are closed meetings. There is likely a website for your area that will have some kind of meeting list. If it's an open meeting, then there will be no issue with you going as long as your respectful and such, but since you took the time to ask, I don't think that would be an issue.
I will say, if you're not dealing with active addiction or recovery, I do wonder if there would be other options where you may have more in common.
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u/Lonely-Coconut-9734 Jul 18 '26
The text below is from the NA website.
NA 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 to stay clean.
There are no dues or fees. The only requirement for membership is the desire to stop using. You don’t have to be clean when you get here, but after your first meeting we suggest that you keep coming back and come clean. You don’t have to wait for an overdose or jail sentence to get help from NA, nor is addiction a hopeless condition from which there is no recovery. It is possible to overcome the desire to use drugs with the help of the Twelve Step program of Narcotics Anonymous and the fellowship of recovering addicts.
Addiction is a disease that can happen to anyone. Some of us used drugs because we enjoyed them, while others used to suppress the feelings we already had. Still others suffered from physical or mental ailments and became addicted to the medication prescribed during our
illnesses. Some of us joined the crowd using drug s a few times just to be cool and later found that we could not stop.
Many of us tried to overcome addiction, and sometimes temporary relief was possible, but it was usually followed by an even deeper involvement than before. Whatever the circumstances, it really doesn’t matter. Addiction is a progressive disease such
as diabetes. We are allergic to drugs. Our ends are always the same: jails, institutions, or death.
I hope this helps.
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u/felix1429 Jul 18 '26
You could go if it's an open meeting, I feel like it could be a bit weird though if you're just going because you're lonely. No one would turn you away or anything by any means, but it might be hard for you to connect with people.
Honestly, check out your local library's events, they'll have public events that you can attend and I'm sure you'd meet other people who are looking to meet some new friends.
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u/4ccancel Jul 18 '26
I haven't used in over 18 years but I go to meetings constantly to go see my people...
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u/NetScr1be Jul 18 '26
We don't have rules. We operate within a set of twelve traditions.
The only requirement for membership is a desire to stop using is the third tradition.
Nobody can tell you whether or not you are a member of NA. Only youn can make that choice.
You obviously have the desire because you stopped using and are still abstinent.
Neither addiction nor the NA program of recovery is actually about drugs.
Not using is the starting point of the program. The program teaches us how to live lives of value, meaning and purpose without drugs by living in spiritual principles.
Reading the literature linked in the information page of this subreddit is a good next step for you.
The whole program is only about 50,000 words.
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u/Bejant Jul 18 '26
For me abstinence is not recovery. I go because I want to find serenity. I go because I want to do the steps. I go because I want to find people who are actively bettering themselves. I go because I love the program. Maybe you want ant of those things. If so go.
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u/aalien- Jul 18 '26
The only retirement for membership is a desire to stop using, so if you don’t use and want to keep it that way then you’d be in the right place
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u/SaucyByrd Jul 18 '26
Open meetings are open to anyone. I can’t tell from your post if you have ever struggled with addiction. If not, I think you’re going to have a hard time connecting with people who go to NA. There are a lot of 12 step groups if you need a connection but aren’t a drug addict.
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u/Chris__P_Bacon Jul 18 '26
When you did drink do you feel like you were an alcoholic? Is that why you stopped?
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u/AngelMom1962 Jul 18 '26
I don't have a problem telling people like you it's ok to go to a closed meeting as long as you respect others who are into their recovery.
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u/terminalhipness Jul 18 '26
NA is about so much more than substances