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SOSONA introduces the 12-Step Program of Narcotics Anonymous (NA), as well as its existence and presence in the different states & cities in India. The Narcotics Anonymous message is “that an addict, any addict, can stop using drugs, lose the desire to use and find a new way to live.” Our intent is to share this message broadly so that those who might benefit from our program of recovery can find us.



The Primary Purpose of NA



“No addict seeking recovery need ever suffer or die from the horrors of addiction without a chance to know that there is a way out; the NA way.”



What is Narcotics Anonymous (NA)?



Narcotics Anonymous is a non-profit worldwide fellowship of men and women for whom drugs had become a major problem. We are recovering addicts who meet regularly to help each other to stay clean. This is a program of complete abstinence from all drugs. Our fellowship is concerned with the disease of addiction and recovery from that disease; the drug (or drugs) of choice is unimportant. The only requirement for membership is a desire to stop using (drugs).



Narcotics Anonymous: A Brief History



The non-profit fellowship of Narcotics Anonymous (NA), sprang from the Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) Program of the late 1940s, to light a path to recovery from the horrors of drug addiction. Narcotics Anonymous started in July 1953 with its first meeting in Southern California. Within a few years, NA groups had formed in Brazil, Colombia, Germany, India, the Irish Republic, Japan, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom. Today NA is well established throughout much of North and South America, Western Europe, Australia, the Middle East, New Zealand and Eastern Europe. Narcotics Anonymous books and information pamphlets are currently available in 77 languages including Hindi, Tamil, Kannada, Bengali, Punjabi, Urdu & Nepali. Today there are more than 72,215 weekly meetings in over 144 countries.



How does NA work?



The primary service provided by Narcotics Anonymous is the NA group meeting. Each group runs itself based on principles common to the entire organization, which are expressed in NA’s literature. NA’s primary approach to recovery is its belief in the therapeutic value of one addict helping another. Anyone who wants to stop using drugs may become a member of Narcotics Anonymous. 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 in NA. Recovery in NA focuses on the problem of addiction, not on any particular drug. The basic premise of anonymity allows addicts to attend meetings without fear of legal or social repercussions. Anonymity also supports an atmosphere of equality in meetings. 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 by member’s voluntary contributions and the sale of recovery literature. Financial contributions from non-members are not accepted. Recovery in NA is not a miracle cure that happens within a given period of time. It is a process, ongoing and personal. Members make an individual decision to join and recover at their own pace. Since no attendance records are kept, it is difficult to estimate what percentages of those who come to Narcotics Anonymous ultimately achieve long-term abstinence. The only sure indicator of our success is the phenomenal growth in the number of NA groups over the last several years and the rapid spread of NA worldwide.



Narcotics Anonymous in India



The first Narcotics Anonymous meeting was held in Mumbai at Mahim [Foundation Group] on September 8, 1983. By 1989 there were NA meetings at seven places in Mumbai. Drawing inspiration from addicts’ experiences in Mumbai, addicts from other parts of India started NA meetings and began recovering.



Recovery meetings are in progress for 32 years in Bangalore Area include Bangalore City, Mangalore City, Mysore and due to start in North Karnataka.



Today, NA in India is 41 years old and has 456 weekly recovery meetings in several cities in Andhra Pradesh, Chandigarh, Delhi, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Tamilnadu, Jammu & Kashmir, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Odisha, Punjab, Rajasthan, Sikkim, Tamil Nadu, Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh & West Bengal.