For those working the 12-steps, NA meetings in Phoenix, Arizona, are essential to any effective aftercare program. Not so long ago, you might have been using your drug of choice with “friends” who enabled the poor decisions you once made. Today, you want to stay clean and sober.
So why not find a new, positive group of people who understand everything you’re going through and can help enable sobriety? Your local Narcotics Anonymous meetings are the perfect place to make these connections.
Changes Healing Center, a Joint Commission-accredited mental health and recovery center, urges the men and women who attend treatment to seek their local support when they return to their own community and NA is a wonderful resource.
Whether you are a local from Phoenix, Arizona, who attended outpatient treatment, or from as far away as Tucson, Sedona, Prescott, or Flagstaff, joining a support group is essential in reintegrating into daily life.
Keep reading to learn more about NA meetings in Phoenix, AZ, and the surrounding Maricopa communities. You’ll discover more information about NA and hear some of our favorites.
‘Thomas’ came to Changes Healing Center and flourished in the Intensive Outpatient Program. After graduating and resettling into his routine in Goodyear, Arizona, Thomas carefully followed his aftercare plan, faithfully attending the closest NA group – the Vibin n Thrivin group in Avondale.
About three months after leaving treatment, Thomas was doing great! He’d stayed clean and passed his GED test with flying colors, which opened up access to a well-paying job at a manufacturing facility near Goodyear. He even met a wonderful new partner and was smitten. He soon found his time overcrowded and gave up NA – he thought he would be fine.
That was a mistake. Thomas had a relapse after a chance meeting with a person he used to smoke with; he knew he was falling fast back into full-blown addiction and reached out to his NA sponsor for help. The area NA group welcomed Thomas back and helped him pick up the pieces and start again. Thomas credits NA with the chance to recover from a state of freefall back into sobriety and plans to find time to attend groups, no matter what.
According to the Arizona NA website:
“Narcotics Anonymous 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 stay clean.”
The website also mentions that they are non-judgmental about where a member has been, what they’ve done, or any other particulars of a member’s drug addiction. Instead, their focus rests solely on what someone plans to do to continue to stay sober.
Narcotics Anonymous and NA meetings follow a similar structure to Alcoholics Anonymous and AA Meetings. It hones in on members’ experiences to provide support in ongoing recovery. The meetings are the secret sauce of the NA program. There, individuals gather to share their stories and support each other. These meetings create a sense of fellowship and belonging. This inclusive environment is crucial for individuals seeking to overcome the isolation often associated with addiction.
The 12-step NA program emphasizes personal responsibility and spiritual growth. Participants work through the twelve steps to develop a deeper understanding of themselves and their addictions. NA meetings are open to anyone with a desire to stop using drugs, and they provide a non-judgmental, supportive environment where attendees can heal after addiction.
You have access to NA for free. They appreciate donations from any person who attends but won’t pressure you to give them any money if you can’t.
As you start seeking local NA meetings, you will notice meeting formats notated. Here’s what each of those indicators means:
Open meetings are for anyone interested in learning more about Narcotics Anonymous, including non-addicted family and friends. These meetings are the perfect chance for those who want to understand the principles of NA and see the transformations in the men and women who attend.
Open meetings make NA more approachable to those seeking help or to support loved ones in their ongoing recovery.
In a speaker meeting, a guest speaker shares their story of addiction and recovery. They often touch on the challenges faced, the 12 steps of NA, and sobriety.
Speaker meetings inspire and motivate attendees by showing that recovery is possible.
Discussion meetings focus on open dialogue among participants. They generally discuss their addiction and recovery experiences, as well as drug treatment, detox, and withdrawals, among many other topics such as gratitude. A chosen topic or a step from the 12-steps typically guides the conversation.
These meetings allow members to share challenges and successes, and cover challenging topics such as ‘surrender’ (a key part of Step 1) and the often challenging process of making amends. The interactive nature of discussion meetings helps build a sense of community and collective wisdom.
Living Clean meetings center around the NA book “Living Clean: The Journey Continues,” which explores the challenges and rewards of long-term recovery. Topics include relationships, spirituality in recovery, self-acceptance, and service.
Literature studies involve reading and discussing NA-approved literature, such as the Basic Text, It Works: How and Why, and other recovery books. These meetings offer a focused, educational experience.
Beginners meetings guide newcomers or those right out of treatment. These meetings cover the basics of the NA program, the 12 steps, and what they might expect along the way. They provide a supportive environment where new members can ask questions without judgment.
Twelve Traditions meetings focus on NA’s guiding principles to further the group’s unity and effective operation. Each tradition addresses a specific aspect of group function, such as anonymity, self-support, and carrying the message of recovery.
By discussing the traditions, members learn how to apply these principles to their lives and the operation of their groups, ensuring a healthy, supportive community.
You can find Narcotics Anonymous meetings every day of the week. A full listing of meeting times and locations is available on the Arizona NA website, but these are some of our top picks – 3 or 4 opportunities for each day of the week.
Note that this also include a pair of Mesa NA meetings, but please visit the link for more complete details and times.
This is just a small sampling of the Phoenix, Arizona NA meetings. You’ll find them in every community in the metro area – click this link for a complete list.
While Narcotics Anonymous is a wonderful support, NA meetings without formal treatment for abusing drugs or alcohol are not the best solution for all. Sometimes detox and our Phoenix inpatient programs are essential to providing a safe transition to attending meetings and having success in working a program.
Many men and women who come to our facility succeed after they get a firm start with our professional counselors and often turn to NA or AA meetings for additional help after leaving the treatment center.
If you or a loved one would like support for successful recovery, call us for information today – your call to us is always confidential.
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