Experience with Narcotics Anonymous?

[problemboyfriend]

My addicted friend doesn't want to go, and tells me that I shouldn't encourage him to go. It is a great place to go to find either where to get drugs, or people to get high with. I guess that could be true. Any experiences?

[LADNORTHERN172]

na meetings in particular will tolerate none of that.....the core of commited people who run a meeting are there for one purpose..the newcomer...your boyfriend would be welcomed with open arms and protected as best they could till he had been part of it for the magic to start happening.....im sure that it has been known for some to relapse and take one or two down with them..but na will give your guy the tools to avoid doing that..god as we know him doesnt really come into it at na...its just about a power greater than yourself to unload the hard work of addiction to...cos you yourself cant hack it..your man can make as many bulls**t excuses as he likes..but his best thinking has got him nowhere...maybe time to try something new,,eh

[Skidmore]

I am a firm believer of N/A-A/A .Every time i go to a meeting I get something out of it. I have never gotten a drug connection or have got drunk with someone at a meeting.There are some people I choose not to associate with but for the most part there is genuine recovery.

[Beccabeccalynn]

Meeting save my bacon!!!

[worried878]

The "true heart of the group" is not there to seek drugs..who oon earth would someone go to the one place that most addicts can never make them go due to some fear of "being found out" when everyone knows they r an addict anyway//90% of the population will not tell u u have aproblem//we ignore..the only people who use.//addicts//who seek out a meeting r those serious about getting clean//they have admitted they have no control over their addiction and know they will be found out anyway eventually and decide to go seek support before they self destruct and hurt everyone around them
there r those who r court ordered to go to these meeetings as well//u know them cos they all hand in a paper when they get there to the one in charge//they go cos they have to go so Yes///peeps using r there but they r in deep doo doo and doubt they will do drugs in the parking lot with u...just doubt it somehow
if u feel this will help u//and u r definitely on the right track..dont let anyone hold u back//moving forward is a good thing

[Trying_hard19]

Well.. I didn't plan to go to any NA meeting.. I got depressed on Day 8, 9 and 10 and decided to just check it out..

It lifted me right out of my depression.. I can't explain it . . I came home feeling great ..  

This is day 11..  So I am talking from recent experience .. lol.

I am going to another meeting on Wednesday for sure, I really think the meetings are going to help with the depression..

[sphynxs]

I can agree with your boyfriend a little bit. Personally, I don't believe in God. I was raised to be respectfull and kind to all people, but I don't believe I would go to a mythical place because of it. If they were to leave out all the biblical nonsense... I would go to some meetings. I actually have been to a few, but the moment I mention my athiest beliefs.....I'm kinda outcasted. So for me. Meetings just aren't for me. I like this forum though. I have gotten some good advice here. Good luck.
                                                                                John

[CATUF]

if you go to NA or AA meetings looking to find people to use with or where to score, you can probably find that.

if you go to NA or AA meetings looking to find recovery (and you're willing to put as much effort into as you did using), you can probably finf that.

Chapter 5 of AA's Big Book, How it Works, begins with these words: "Rarely have we seen a person fail who has thoroughly followed our path."  In my experience those words are true.  

When I tried to make and follow my own path, I failed (and failed and failed).  

When I finally gave up and thoroughly followed their path I ceased failing.  More surprising to me than that amazing fact was that following their path didn't rob me of me, like I feared it would, but allowed me to find the real me for the first time in my life.

CATUF
1714

[Greatgreebo]

I'm with Vicki...If you scope out the meetings and pick one you like and are comfortable with the people, you will be fine. Your boyfriend is making excuses.....dump him and stay clean.You can't make him want it...he has to want it for himself. Untie the boat anchor and swim for the surface.
It's your life you are gambling with if you don't....

Stay Strong
Greebs

[vicki595]

Anything can happen but that has not been my experience.  Usually people at NA are on the look out for this kind of activity...

He's most likely making excuses. He's an addict. Sounds like he's not ready at all.

You need to move on and take care of yourself,in my opinion.

Vicki