Narcotics Anonymous provides meetings in Roscoe

From press release

Recovery from addiction is what happens at Narcotics Anonymous (NA) meetings, and NA meetings are now available in Roscoe, Ill.

The NA meetings will be at Clean, 10816 Main St., Roscoe, every Wednesday evening at 6 p.m. All meetings are open. Members are asked to use the south entrance to the downstairs meeting area. All meeting topics will be open to suggestion to all topics related to recovery from addiction.

Additional information about all NA meetings, services and events in northern Illinois and southern Wisconsin can be found at www.rockriverna.org. For more information about the new Roscoe meeting and all NA activity in the area, contact the Rock River Area Group Services of Narcotics Anonymous public relations chairman at pi.chair@rragsna.org.

What is Narcotics Anonymous?

Narcotics Anonymous is a nonprofit, international, community-based organization for recovering addicts in more than 116 countries. Narcotics Anonymous (NA) members learn from one another how to live drug-free and recover from the effects of addiction in their lives.

Anyone who wants to stop using drugs may become a member of NA. Membership is not limited to addicts using any particular drug. Those who feel they may have a problem with drugs, legal or illegal, including alcohol, are welcome. Recovery in NA focuses on the problem of addiction, not on any particular drug.

Anonymity

The basic premise of anonymity allows addicts to attend meetings without fear of legal or social repercussions. This is an important consideration for an addict thinking about going to a meeting for the first time. Anonymity also supports an atmosphere of equality in meetings. It helps ensure no individual’s personality or circumstance will be considered more important than the message of recovery shared in NA.

NA meetings

NA’s primary approach to recovery is its belief in the therapeutic value of one addict helping another. Members take part in NA meetings by talking about their experiences and recovery from drug addiction. NA meetings are informally structured, held in space rented by the group, and are led by members who take turns opening and closing the meeting. NA meetings and other services are funded entirely from donations by addict members. Financial contributions from non-members are not accepted. The function of any meeting is always the same: to provide a suitable and reliable environment for personal recovery.

How does NA work?

Addicts helping each other recover are the foundation of NA. Members meet regularly to talk about their experiences in recovery. The core of the NA program is the 12 Steps. These “steps” are a set of guidelines outlining a practical approach to recovery. By following these guidelines and working closely with other members, addicts learn to stop using drugs and face the challenges of daily living. Narcotics Anonymous is not a religious organization and does not mandate any particular belief system. It does teach basic spiritual principles such as honesty, openmindedness, faith, willingness, and humility that may be applied in everyday life.

From the September 16-22, 2009 issue