Newcomer Suggestions

With the Narcotics Anonymous (NA) program having a lot of success throughout the years, there are some fundamental suggestions that are for the newcomer to help them get clean, stay clean, and grow as a human being. These suggestions can be found on the NA website here.

1) Avoid People, Places, and Things

"Old friends, places, and ideas are often a threat to our recovery. We need to change our playmates, playgrounds, and playthings." ~ Basic Text p. 15

This suggestion for me has helped me throughout my recovery process. The saying 'playing with fire' comes to mind whenever I think of this suggestion. One way that I have implemented this suggestion is by going through my phone and deleting everyone that is not work, family, and those in Narcotics Anonymous. This has helped me reduce the temptation of calling someone up and hanging out with them even though I know they are not clean. If someone in your family is using, delete them too. Anyone who is an active drug user can affect your recovery in more ways then one.

2) Come Early, Stay Late

"We were into service work, emptying ash trays, setting up and cleaning up meeting halls. We would get there early, and leave late..." ~ Basic Text p. 252

Getting to a meeting early and meeting new people who are clean, gives me a new social circle of those who understand what I'm going through when it comes to addiction. I've learned to become a human being again, and learn to listen to others and their suggestions. Usually the people that arrive early to a meeting are those who are actively working a program of recovery. Pay attention to those who are around early, and those who stay late. Also just helping by setting up the coffee before a meeting, or helping clean up is just a nice way to give back to the group.

3) Don't Use... Go To A Meeting

"... we suggest that newcomers keep coming back and come back clean." ~ Basic Text p. 10

"Instead of picking up that first drug, we do the following: Don't use no matter what [and] Go to an NA meeting" ~ Staying Clean on the Outside IP #23

Whenever I feel down in my life, or something has effected my mood in a negative way, I go to an NA meeting. This is because no matter what I'm going through in my life, usually someone in the rooms has had experience with it before in one way or another. There is strength within the rooms, so long as I actually go and feed off that strength. The best way that I know I need to go to a meeting is when I tell myself 'I'll just catch the meeting tomorrow', or 'I don't want to go to a meeting'.

4) Get and Use A Sponsor

"We have found it helpful to have a sponsor and to use this sponsor." ~ Basic Text p. 55

"We suggest that you look for a sponsor as soon as you become acquainted with members in your area." ~ For The Newcomer IP #16

As I've been told, sponsorship is at the core of the NA program. Getting a sponsor might seem like a really big task considering that I had some real serious issues trusting other people. However I learned that a sponsor is not there to judge me, or my actions, no matter what I've done, my sponsor probably has some experience with it. In some meetings they ask people to raise their hands if they are willing to be a sponsor or a temporary sponsor. Find one of these people and talk to them after the meeting. Thats how I got my first sponsor. Another thing to remember is that you don't have to keep your sponsor for the rest of your life. Your sponsor will probably tell you things that you don't necessarily want to hear, but there is always a ring of truth usually found somewhere when talking to a sponsor. Be open to suggestions, and willing to be honest with them.

5) Get a Homegroup

"We find our place in the fellowship, and we join a group whose meetings help us in our recovery." ~ Basic Text p. 54

"Attending our home group provides encouragement from the people that we get to know." ~ Basic Text p. 95

Getting a home group is a great way to meet addicts in your area. These people will get to know you and support you in your recovery. Going back to suggestion 3, come early and stay late. Help the group by giving in some way shape or form. If thats reading the secretary's report, or even just helping put the chairs away at the end of the meeting, it will help you grow in the group and give back. "We only keep what we have by giving it away."

6) Keep Coming Back, It Works!

"We have learned from our group experience that those who keep coming to our meetings regularly stay clean." ~ Basic Text p. 9

"Keep coming back, it works!" ~ Basic Text p. 148

"KEEP COMING BACK - IT WORKS!" ~ Welcome to Narcotics Anonymous IP #22

This is a simple one. Just keep coming back. No matter what. No matter how much you might not want to go to a meeting, just go. Addicts like myself are usually very anti-social beings. Getting out, going to a meeting, and just getting that hug when you walk through the door, usually brightens up my day. It also is wonderful to hear the experience, strength and hope of those addicts in the meeting.

7) 90 Meetings in 90 Days

"A meeting a day for at least the first ninety days of recovery is a good idea." ~ Basic Text p. 53

This is a great suggestion. By going to as many meetings as possible in the first ninety days of recovery, you really won't have any time to focus on anything but recovery. Dive in head first into recovery, and just trust that the program works. It works if you work it!

8) Use The Phone

"... get and use telephone numbers ..." ~ Basic Text p. 54

The phone can seem to weigh a million pounds whenever we need to use it. The act of just simply calling or even texting someone just to say hi is foreign, and sometimes scary. I have been scared to use the phone on many occasions, but I got over that fear, and realized that the members in NA are there to support me in my journey of recovery. Usually they give me insight into a problem in a different perspective that I didn't think of. They also can be there for times of joy, like when I got approved for the Manager in Training program at work! Use the phone, just shoot a text, and you might be pleasantly surprised!

Some NA areas might have a 9th Newcomer Suggestion known as "Get Involved In Service". I personally believe that getting involved in service comes over time and is not really something that should be focused on right away in the beginning of recovery. You can 'get involved in service' by helping out before and after each meeting. You don't have to get involved with your area service, or committees to do service. Simply setting up chairs, cleaning the coffee pot, or helping carry supplies to and from a vehicle could be considered service. I know that personally I have been focusing on my recovery and putting that first. I want to make sure that before I get involved in any service that I have a firm understanding and grasp of the Narcotics Anonymous program and my recovery.

I hope that these suggestions help the newcomer with their recovery! More information can be found on the Narcotics Anonymous World Services website: http://na.org/