Ashland, OH – NA Meetings

What is Narcotics Anonymous?

Narcotics Anonymous was founded in 1953. It was created as a community based organization to help people who have a major drug addiction. NA holds over 75,000 meetings weekly in 143 different countries. A number of meetings are held in and around the Alliance, Ohio area weekly.

NA meetings are run by people who are recovering drug addicts. The only requirement to lead a meeting is complete abstinence from drug use.

Narcotics Anonymous runs by a set of principles that aim to make positive, healthy changes in the participants lives. An open mind and desire to make positive changes will set participants on the road to being successful in their sobriety.

Meetings are free of charge and anonymous. There are no sign-in sheets and participants do not have to reveal their names if they choose not to.

NA works on focusing on meeting people where they are at in life. They do not care about what you have done in the past. The focus is what you want to do with the problem. NA meetings are a helpful way to have accountability and meeting weekly has been shown to benefit the drug free lifestyle.

Meetings are basically structured in the same manner however, there are a few different types of NA meetings:

• Open Meetings – these meetings allow families, prospective participants and community members to be present along with the NA meeting participant.
• Closed Meetings – these meetings are for those that have a problem with drug addiction.
• Specific Group Gatherings – these meetings are restricted to certain group characteristics such as women-only meetings or groups for specific religions only.
• Topics/Discussions Meetings – these meetings are centered around topics related to recovery.
• Speaker Meetings– these meetings involve a professional or a motivational speaker usually presenting to inspire and motivate meeting participants.
• Big Book Study– Big Book NA meetings focus on The Big Book by Bill W. It is a book that discusses recovery from alcohol addiction but the principles are the same as in NA.
• 12- Step Study– these meetings explore the 12-step format, usually covering one or two steps per meeting.

NA also offers meetings online if there are people who live in very rural areas or who require a more secure private setting.

What to Expect During NA Meetings

Since there are a variety of NA meetings available, each meeting may follow a slightly different format.

New participants are always welcome at meetings and are considered the most important person. At one time, everyone was in the newcomers’ shoes. Everyone is encouraged to share when and what they feel most comfortable sharing.

Meetings may be open discussion or there may be a set topic of discussion. Some meetings may have a special speaker and some others may be a time for socializing with food and a relaxed atmosphere.

All meetings have a similar format. They usually tun 60 to 90 minutes, but anyone can leave at any time. The goal is to support and encouragement for participants to maintain a drug free lifestyle. Attending meetings regularly has been shown to be an important tool for maintaining sobriety.

Why is Attending Addiction Recovery Meetings Important

Narcotics Anonymous offers peer based support through their meetings through fellowship and open discussions. These connections help participants work through their personal challenges and find new ways of coping with difficult situations.

Although everyone who attends meetings has a unique personal experience, open discussions allow for others to weigh in on situations that one may encounter. Being able to work through the twelve steps in the community helps reinforce the core values of the program.

Group meetings have been shown to be an important part of maintaining sobriety. There is a sense of accountability with meetings. Members also have the encouragement of others who are going through or have gone through similar struggles. The community is a great source of help.

There is always a community need for drug prevention and recovery services. According to the Ashland County Community Health Needs Assessment, drug abuse tends to be a low concern. Community based services such as NA continue to be a necessary tool for recovery for those who need these services.

Traveling to SpringBoard Recovery in Arizona for Alcohol Rehab

Many people choose to travel out of state for recovery services. People often choose to travel to SpringBoard Recovery in Arizona from Ashland, Ohio for a number of reasons.

Some of these reasons are the following:

• Some people choose to travel out of state for privacy concerns. They may hold a public position and require a stronger level of anonymity for sobriety services.
• People may need to leave a dangerous situation. Some people are in abusive situations and out-of-state rehab is the solution they are needing.
• Health insurance coverage is often a concern. Many companies offer coverage in specific areas.
• Some find that a new location out of state provides a fresh start. This new beginning can allow one to be away from triggers that would normally point them to their addiction to cope. This allows new daily habits to be formed.
• A program that is away from home allows total focus on the commitment as it minimizes distractions.

At SpringBoard Recovery, we offer recovery housing as well as our addiction treatment program. Our facility is located in a beautiful part of Arizona and offers a serene environment in which to work on finding a positive life balance.

If you have any questions about our addiction treatment program or insurance coverage, please contact us. We would be happy to help find the answer to your questions and get you the information you are looking for.