| Drug treatment centers are all over the country and | | | | beliefs among members, no requirement of cash, it is |
| ads for these facilities are everywhere. The Google | | | | hardly a target to be called a "cult," yet those |
| ads you read on this web page are probably for drug | | | | accusations persist. The fact that it's free may |
| treatment centers, offering a variety of approaches | | | | irritate those who believe that there is the necessity |
| to help addicts get through withdrawal and back to | | | | to pay your own way. |
| health. | | | | Another popular target of criticism for NA and AA, is |
| But the old saying "the best things in life are free" is | | | | the encouragement for its members to abstain from |
| more than appropriate when it comes to the | | | | drugs and alcohol. For some, the idea of treatment is |
| recovery phase of addiction. Organizations like | | | | limited to getting well enough to use again without |
| Narcotics Anonymous aren't looking for dollars, just | | | | getting sick. |
| the desire to get healthy. There are no dues, no | | | | But the NA and AA approach is more holistic, |
| mandatory contributions to the cause, just support | | | | regarding body, mind and spirit as being equally as |
| from people who know addiction and more | | | | important, and so drugs and alcohol get in the way. |
| importantly understand what the addict is | | | | The organization is made up of people who have |
| experiencing. | | | | walked through the tunnel and who desire to help |
| NA grew out of the Alcoholics Anonymous | | | | people overcome their addiction and lead a fulfilling |
| movement of the late 1930's, offering a recovery | | | | life. It takes no stand on prescribed medications, so |
| process and support network. Instead of saying | | | | taking such medications under the care of a physician |
| alcohol in its 12-Steps, NA used "addiction" to reflect | | | | is not seen as a compromise to the goal of |
| its membership. Like AA, NA has its own book, | | | | abstinence. |
| published originally in 1983. | | | | NA and AA do not endorse or oppose the positions |
| The NA website says the book is published in 34 | | | | of other groups concerning their methodology or |
| different languages, and 16 more are to be added in | | | | philosophy. They do not weigh in on other issues |
| the future. I share this with you because I've met | | | | relating to addiction, such as the law, public health, |
| people who are all too quick to dismiss organizations | | | | political dialog on drug legalization, etc. They are |
| like NA and AA, even though there has been | | | | concerned only for the support and well being of |
| documented success and continued expansion. | | | | addicts. |
| Its literature states, "NA is a nonprofit fellowship or | | | | Some will claim that NA is ineffective in helping |
| society of men and women for whom drugs had | | | | members through the recovery process. Because no |
| become a major problem. We meet regularly to help | | | | dues are needed, because attendance is not taken at |
| each other stay clean. We are not interested in what | | | | meetings and because there is no strict control over |
| or how much you used, but only in what you want | | | | membership, it is difficult to determine the exact |
| to do about your problem and how we can help." | | | | number of people who have overcome through NA |
| All local groups are autonomous and no membership | | | | participation. Some may remain active for years, |
| fee is required. Like AA, the purity of the NA mission | | | | helping others and spreading the message. Others |
| is uncontaminated by the need for constant fund | | | | may just go back to living their lives. |
| raising, or the urge to ask members for money. | | | | If freedom is the only goal and statistics are |
| Still, people will look for a sinister motive. They will | | | | unnecessary; if money is not the object and |
| claim a religious bias, or some other divisive force is | | | | membership rolls are immaterial; if the activities and |
| at work. They confuse religion with the practice of | | | | practices of any other group is not their concern, |
| spiritual principles. | | | | then it is all too easy to merely dismiss and |
| Members may examine their own spiritual beliefs and | | | | marginalize NA. If someone has walked through the |
| learn to gain a greater understanding of those beliefs, | | | | tunnel and come out the other side alive and well, |
| without pressure to adhere to any religious doctrine, | | | | that says enough for NA. |
| practice or tradition. With no proclamation of specific | | | | |