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What is NA?
Narcotics Anonymous (NA) is a global, community-based support group for individuals struggling with drug addiction. It offers a free program designed to help members achieve and maintain recovery through regular meetings and mutual support. NA meetings are widely available in cities across the United States, including California, Alameda County, and Livermore.
In California’s Alameda County alone, there are about 100 NA meetings each week, spread across many towns such as Oakland, Berkeley, Pleasanton, Fremont, and Livermore. These meetings provide a safe, confidential environment for members to share experiences and support one another in their journey to recovery.
Meeting Location 1: First United Methodist Church, Livermore
Address: 1896 3rd Street, Livermore, CA 94550
Meeting Times: Tuesdays and Thursdays at 7:30 PM
This location offers in-person NA meetings focusing on open sharing and group discussion in a welcoming church environment. The meetings are designed to foster community connection while emphasizing anonymity and mutual respect.
Each session begins with a Reading from NA literature and includes time for members to share personal stories, challenges, and progress. The group encourages newcomers and provides mentorship from experienced members.
Meeting Location 2: Alameda County Central Office, Oakland
Address: 472 27th Street, Suite 200, Oakland, CA 94612
Meeting Times: Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays at 6:00 PM
This venue offers both in-person and virtual meetings via Zoom, accommodating members who prefer or require online access. The meetings emphasize the 12-step philosophy of NA and provide educational discussions about addiction and recovery.
Members typically engage in guided step study and speaker meetings, where experienced members share their recovery stories to inspire and educate the group.
Meeting Location 3: St. Charles Church, Alameda
Address: 1993 Santa Clara Avenue, Alameda, CA 94501
Meeting Times: Saturdays at 10:00 AM
This morning meeting in Alameda provides a structured format combining meditation, group Reading, and personal sharing. The sessions are designed to help members start the weekend with positivity and focus on recovery goals.
The meetings encourage active participation but also respect members’ comfort levels with sharing, offering a supportive atmosphere for both newcomers and long-term members.
The 12 Steps of NA
- Admitted Powerlessness: We admitted that we were powerless over our addiction and that our lives had become unmanageable. This step lays the foundation for accepting help and seeking change.
- Belief in a Higher Power: Came to believe that a power greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity. This encourages faith in recovery and something beyond individual control.
- Decision to Turn Over Control: Made a decision to turn our will and lives over to the care of this Higher Power as we understood it. This step emphasizes surrender as a path to healing.
- Moral Inventory: Made a searching and fearless moral inventory of ourselves. Members honestly examine their behaviors and attitudes to identify causes of addiction.
- Admitted Wrongs: Admitted to the Higher Power, ourselves, and another human being the exact nature of our wrongs. This step promotes accountability and honesty.
- Ready for Change: Were entirely ready to have the Higher Power remove all these defects of character. This signals readiness to let go of destructive behaviors.
- Humbly Asked for Removal: Humbly asked the Higher Power to remove our shortcomings. Members seek spiritual and personal growth through humility.
- Made a List of Harm Done: Made a list of all persons we had harmed and became willing to make amends to them all. This step encourages repairing relationships.
- Made Amends: Made direct amends to such people wherever possible, except when to do so would injure them or others. Responsible action is taken to correct past wrongs.
- Continued Personal Inventory: Continued to take personal inventory and when wrong promptly admitted it. This promotes ongoing self-awareness and correction.
- Sought Spiritual Connection: Sought through prayer and meditation to improve our conscious contact with the Higher Power. This step fosters spiritual growth and peace.
- Carried the Message: Having had a spiritual awakening as the result of these steps, we tried to carry this message to others and practice these principles in all our affairs. Members commit to helping others and living with integrity.
Getting Started with NA in California, Alameda, Livermore, USA
Individuals seeking NA support in California, Alameda, or Livermore are encouraged to use Methadone.org to search for local meetings. This website provides the most comprehensive and up-to-date listings of both in-person and online/virtual NA meetings in these areas.
Most locations offer a variety of meeting options, including face-to-face groups and virtual sessions accessible by smartphone, computer, or telephone, ensuring that support is available to everyone regardless of circumstances.
Attending Your First Local NA Meeting
New members should understand the difference between open and closed meetings when attending in California, Alameda, or Livermore:
| Meeting Type | Description |
|---|---|
| Open Meetings | Open to anyone interested, including family, friends, and professionals. These meetings provide a chance to observe and learn about NA without the requirement of being a recovering addict. |
| Closed Meetings | Restricted to individuals who have a desire to stop using drugs. Closed meetings provide a confidential and safe environment for members to share personal experiences and progress. |
- Arrive early at your first meeting to get comfortable and introduce yourself as a new local member.
- If you feel comfortable, share your experiences during the meeting; however, sharing is always voluntary.
- Receive welcome keychain tags at your first meeting as symbols of milestones in your recovery journey.
Keychain tag milestones commonly include:
- 30 days: Celebrates the first month of continuous abstinence, highlighting the initial commitment to recovery.
- 60 days: Marks two months of sustained sobriety, reinforcing ongoing dedication and progress.
- 1 year: Recognizes a full year of recovery, symbolizing significant personal change and perseverance.