What is NA?
Narcotics Anonymous (NA) is a support group for individuals struggling with drug addiction. It is a global, community-based association of recovering drug addicts, offering a free program to help members stop using drugs, lose the desire to use, and find a new way to live. NA is available in cities across the United States, including New Jersey, Ocean, and Manchester Township, providing regular group meetings where members can find support and share their experiences.
The meetings are designed to provide a safe and supportive environment for those seeking recovery, with locations throughout New Jersey and its surrounding areas offering various meeting formats that accommodate different needs.
Address 1: Narcotics Anonymous of New Jersey
Location: Various locations throughout New Jersey. Visit the official Narcotics Anonymous New Jersey website for the exact location details.
Meetings Time & Details: Meetings are held daily at multiple times throughout the state. Sessions are usually 60-90 minutes, where individuals share their stories and support each other in recovery through personal sharing and group discussions.
The meetings are typically held in community centers, churches, and other public venues, offering open and closed formats to accommodate newcomers and regular members.
Address 2: Ocean Area Narcotics Anonymous
Location: Multiple locations in Ocean County, New Jersey. Specific addresses can be found on the Ocean Area of NJ NA website.
Meetings Time & Details: Ocean Area NA hosts meetings every day, including morning and noon sessions. These meetings emphasize peer support and follow the 12-Step program, encouraging members to engage actively in their recovery journey.
They also provide literature and resources to help members understand the program and maintain sobriety.
Address 3: Manchester Township NA Meetings
Location: Various venues in Manchester Township, New Jersey. Details and schedules are available via local NA directories and websites.
Meetings Time & Details: Meetings typically occur weekly, often in the evenings, providing spaces for both open and closed group meetings. These sessions focus on sharing, sponsorship, and working through the 12 Steps as a community.
In Manchester Township, meetings cater to a variety of needs, including speaker meetings, step study meetings, and discussion groups.
The 12 Steps of NA
- Admitted powerlessness over addiction: We admitted that we were powerless over our addiction—that our lives had become unmanageable. This step is about acknowledging the need for help beyond our control.
- Believed in a greater power: Came to believe that a Power greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity. This step encourages hope and openness to change through support beyond self.
- Made a decision to turn our will: Made a decision to turn our will and our lives over to the care of God as we understood Him. It underlines the importance of trusting in a supportive higher power.
- Made a moral inventory: Made a searching and fearless moral inventory of ourselves. This step involves honest self-reflection to understand our behaviors and motivations.
- Admitted wrongs: Admitted to God, to ourselves, and to another human being the exact nature of our wrongs. This promotes accountability and honesty in recovery.
- Ready for change: Were entirely ready to have God remove all these defects of character. This step is about willingness to change and grow.
- Humbly asked for removal of shortcomings: Humbly asked Him to remove our shortcomings. It emphasizes humility and seeking help to improve ourselves.
- Made a list of harms caused: Made a list of all persons we had harmed, and became willing to make amends to them all. This step initiates responsibility towards others.
- Made direct amends: Made direct amends to such people wherever possible, except when to do so would injure them or others. This promotes reconciliation and healing relationships.
- Continued personal inventory: Continued to take personal inventory and when wrong promptly admitted it. This step instills ongoing self-awareness and correction.
- Sought spiritual connection: Sought through prayer and meditation to improve our conscious contact with God as we understood Him, praying for knowledge of His will for us and the power to carry it out. This fosters spiritual growth and guidance.
- Helped others: Having had a spiritual awakening as the result of these steps, we tried to carry this message to addicts, and to practice these principles in all our affairs. The final step encourages service and living the program daily.
Getting Started with NA in New Jersey, Ocean, Manchester Township, USA
Individuals seeking support with drug addiction can find local NA meetings by searching on Methadone.org. This site provides the most reliable and up-to-date listings of both in-person and online/virtual NA meetings available in New Jersey, Ocean County, and Manchester Township.
Most areas offer options to attend meetings physically or through virtual platforms, making recovery support accessible regardless of location or circumstance.
Attending Your First Local NA Meeting
When attending your first NA meeting in New Jersey, Ocean, or Manchester Township, it is helpful to understand the difference between open and closed meetings.
| Meeting Type | Description |
|---|---|
| Open Meeting | Open to anyone interested in Narcotics Anonymous, including friends and family of addicts; newcomers are welcome to observe without participating. |
| Closed Meeting | Restricted to individuals who have a desire to stop using drugs; this setting provides a more private environment for sharing and support. |
- Arrive early and introduce yourself as a new local member to meet fellow participants and facilitators.
- If comfortable, share your personal experiences during the meeting to engage with the group and receive support.
- Receive welcome keychain tags at your first meeting as a symbol of your commitment and progress in recovery.
Below is a list of common tag milestones given to members showing continued sobriety and dedication:
- 30 days: Recognizes the first month of continuous recovery and commitment to the program.
- 60 days: Celebrates two months of maintaining sobriety and growing in the program.
- 1 year: Marks a significant milestone of one year clean and sustained recovery.
- Additional milestones continue at regular intervals such as 18 months, 2 years, 5 years, and beyond, each representing important steps in the recovery journey.