Author: Charles Frank
The Difference Between Alcoholics Anonymous AA and Narcotics Anonymous NA Menifee, CA Addiction Treatment Center
Clients rated the importance of 12-Step programs to recovery 8.7 on a 10-point scale with high scores indicating higher importance. Clients rated the helpfulness of 12-Step programs 8.02 on a 10-point scale with high scores indicating high levels of helpfulness. Clients stated that their top two reasons for attending AA and NA were to (1) promote recovery/sobriety and to (2) find support, acceptance, and friendship. Alcoholics Anonymous (or AA) began in 1935 by two men who had one unified goal. They wanted to help alcoholics give up alcohol and empower them to help others do the same. The program is centered around twelve steps, which is often simply referred to as The Twelve Step Program.
That should be the very first step you take as you seek to heal from your addiction. Drug and alcohol rehab can help you build the foundation for a solid, successful recovery. We would love the opportunity to assist you as you press on to leave your life of addiction behind. As you can see, both programs have very similar premises, yet there are some subtle differences to consider as well.
In a recent article, White (2010) expands on the future of AA and NA. In the study sample, 12-Step participation was common and intensive after inpatient treatment but fell off over time. However, despite declining attendance, early posttreatment attendance, even in relatively small amounts, predicted long-term helpful outcomes.
When it comes to terminology, AA meetings use the word “alcoholics” to refer to individuals who are under the influence of alcohol addiction and the word “alcohol” to refer to the problem substance. Meanwhile, in NA meetings, the word “addicts” is used to refer to the individual suffering from drug abuse disorder, and the word “narcotics” or “drugs” refers to the problem substance. The good news is that it’s not impossible to recover from alcohol and substance addiction. There are many programs and treatment options for alcohol and substance abuse disorders. In this article, we will be discussing the role of Alcoholics Anonymous and Narcotics Anonymous in recovery and the difference between the two. You can attend AA, NA, or any other meetings you’re comfortable with regardless if you’re an alcoholic or are addicted to other drugs.
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For people struggling with opioid use, one recovery tool that’s been available for decades is Narcotics Anonymous (NA). This free program provides support in the form of regular group meetings and fellowship with other people with addictions. NA has been instrumental in helping many people overcome their addiction to narcotics and other drugs. It provides a sense of community, support, and guidance to individuals seeking to rebuild their lives free from the grip of addiction. Like other 12-step programs, Narcotics Anonymous also operates on a set of Twelve guidelines called the Twelve Traditions of NA.
What if you’re an alcoholic but are also addicted to cocaine? Those with multiple addictions should simply choose the 12-step meeting they’re most comfortable with. Any drug addict can get help in AA and any alcoholic can get help in NA – it’s all about what you think will work best for you. Participants were drawn from two similar treatment programs with the key difference between them being that one held a weekly 12-Step meeting on-site and the other one did not. Participants did not differ significantly across programs in terms of substance use, treatment, or 12-Step history. To read more about this research, please see Laudet (2008a, 2008b).
- Clients stated that their top two reasons for attending AA and NA were to (1) promote recovery/sobriety and to (2) find support, acceptance, and friendship.
- We’ll explore the differences, similarities, and subtleties of NA vs AA to help you pick the right one to stay on the path of lifelong recovery.
- Generally, alcoholics are more comfortable in AA because most in the room have a problem with alcohol and understand the subtleties and unique problems that come with alcohol addiction.
They include leadership relapse, struggle for consensus about the program, program infidelity and instability, professionalism, issues of money, and limits of inclusion and exclusion. Other groups fail by way of entanglements related to religion or politics or stagger under challenges to the group’s credibility. White talked about why AA was successful among the succession of mutual aid recovery groups. First, AA has been thriving and expanding since 1935, and membership surveys count two million members worldwide. Second, AA is accessible and available in an abundance of communities, whereas other recovery organizations may not have meetings in as many locations. Third, and most significantly, AA is unique in its 12 traditions.
The goal of the twelve traditions is to help members build healthier relationships and live drug-free lives. Narcotics Anonymous (NA) is a nonprofit program for recovering and active drug users. Members attend weekly (anonymous) meetings to help one another maintain sobriety.
Does Narcotics Anonymous Work?
Dealing with substance use disorder (SUD) may require medically assisted treatment and other lifestyle changes. Among these recovery and aftercare programs is joining a support group to share experiences and find strength in other people’s recovery journeys. Those who said AA was not helpful said they couldn’t relate to others in AA groups, found there was too much negativity and complaining, or felt they could handle the problem on their own. For a more detailed description of this work, please see Robinson, Price, Kurtz, and Brower (2009). NA started in California in the 1950s as an offshoot of Alcoholics Anonymous (AA). Today, it holds more than 70,000 regular meetings in 144 countries.
When you attend AA, you are attending a group that is based upon helping people who struggle with alcoholism. NA focuses on helping people who struggle with all drugs, including alcohol. In addition, there is a small difference in each group’s approach to The Twelve Step Program, and it all begins with the very first step. There is a difference between being powerless over a substance and being powerless over the addiction.
What are the 12 Traditions of NA?
This is largely due to the fact that the organization keeps growing continually. As of 1994, there were close to 20,000 weekly meetings being held in 70 countries. Typically, both NA and AA meetings begin with reading the 12 Steps. You may also hear people reciting the serenity prayer or the 12 Traditions.
Narcotics Anonymous (NA) is a non-profit organization dedicated to helping recovering drug users. They are a community that meets regularly to help each other maintain sobriety. The primary purpose of NA is to build strong support groups and help members remain completely abstinent from drugs. Members must participate in sharing sessions and encourage each other to complete a 12-step program. An updated systematic review published Wednesday by the Cochrane Collaboration found that A.A.
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Fearing for his sobriety Bill W called churches and hospitals before connecting to Dr. Bob, an Ohio surgeon who had tried to stop drinking several times with no success. In some meetings, attendees are invited to share burning desires. Other times, speakers may share their journeys with a major focus on their previous drug or alcohol use. Long considered a key component of recovery, 12-step programs are as popular as ever. Like all treatment programs, NA works for some and is not enough for others.