Narcotics Anonymous - (NA)
If you have a drug problem, NA can help.
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Send us a message or leave a voicemail on 0800 NA TODAY
(0800 628 632).
Are drugs a problem?
If you have a drug problem, NA can help. We’d love to hear from you. Send us a message or leave a voicemail on 0800 NA TODAY
(0800 628 632).
We will contact you within 24 hours.
Need help with your drug use? If you have a drug problem, NA can help.
Narcotics Anonymous (NA) is a community of people who meet regularly to help each other stay clean.
Please come along to a meeting. Everyone is welcome. There are no costs, no membership fees, no referrals needed and we don’t keep records.
You can find a list of NA meetings in Aotearoa NZ here. If you need help finding a meeting, please leave a message on our helpline on 0800 NA Today (0800 628 632).
Narcotics Anonymous is:
open to anyone who feels they may have a drug problem
free of charge
anonymous
NOT religious — you don’t have to believe in God
We believe anyone can stop using drugs and have a better life if they follow the NA programme.
NA Meetings - Going to an NA meeting is free and simple.
In NA meetings people share their stories, how they got clean, and how they live without drugs. You don’t have to share unless you want to — many people just listen to begin with. All NA meetings are run by people who want to stay clean, for people who want to get and stay clean.
Most NA meetings run for an hour. All meetings are held at the same time and place every week. Meetings run right through all holidays, including Christmas Day and New Year’s Day.
All you need to do is:
find out where and when there is a meeting that suits you
turn up
If you can’t come to a face-to-face meeting, there are meetings online.
That’s it. No sign in, no money to pay, no appointment to make, no referral needed. No intrusive questions, no commitments, no surveillance. Your privacy will be respected. No one can make you come back to NA. You can go to different meetings as often or as little as you wish.
Need more information?
We are all people who came to NA because we had drug problems, we continue to meet regularly to help each other stay clean and recover together. Everyone is welcome. It costs nothing, and we ask no questions.
For the Public
On this page:
● Fellowship Statistics
● Attending an NA Meeting as a Professional
● Resources and Contacts
Narcotics Anonymous is a global community-based organisation with a multilingual and multicultural membership. Membership is free and NA has no affiliation with any outside organisations.
The primary message of Narcotics Anonymous is that any addict can stop using drugs, lose the desire to use, and find a new way to live. Thanks to NA, we do recover. NA offers recovery from the effects of addiction through working a 12-step programme, including regular attendance at group meetings. The name “Narcotics Anonymous” is not meant to imply a focus on any particular drug, as NA makes no distinction between drugs (including alcohol).
Currently there are more than 200 meetings a week held nationally, including about 40 online meetings. NA publishes its meetings information here and also provides them in a printable PDF format. If you would like to receive a copy by email every two months please subscribe here.
More about NA in Aotearoa and around the world can be found here.
Your First NA Meeting: In Person or Online
So you are thinking about coming to an NA meeting and seeing what NA meetings are about? This may be an in-person meeting (in a physical room) or a virtual meeting (online, using Zoom). If you are instead after information about NA then try these pages: About NA, and For the Public.
In NA meetings people share their stories, how they got clean, and how they live without drugs. All NA meetings are run by people who want to stay clean, for people who want to get and stay clean. Most of us were a bit nervous at our first meeting so we thought we would share a bit about what happens at meetings in Aotearoa New Zealand. Check out the meetings list and find a meeting that you would like to attend. You can call the 0800 number (0800 628 632) or fill in the contact form if you want more support or information when attending your first NA meeting.
It’s a good idea to arrive a bit ahead of the start time for in-person meetings. Meetings tend to start on time and it’s much easier to come in and find a seat when there are not too many people already there. When you arrive the secretary might chat to you and ask if you have been before. You can say that you are visiting or you can say you have come to your first meeting to find out about NA – either way you will be welcome.
It is fine to arrive at the start time of a virtual meeting. Most people set their display name as their first name only. Optionally, you can put “just listening” at the end of your name so you won’t be asked to share. There may be a time at the beginning of a virtual meeting where you are asked to put your camera on, but you do not need to leave it on.
Meetings in Aotearoa New Zealand typically start with the meeting chair person introducing themselves and welcoming everyone to the meeting. After this people will say a prayer known as the Serenity Prayer. This is used at the opening and closing of the meeting and you won’t be expected to know it. Some in-person meetings hold hands in a circle during the serenity prayer – some don’t – just follow the lead of the person next to you.
Once the meeting has been opened there is likely to be an introduction round. During this time members usually introduce themselves by saying their first name and identifying if they are addicts. At this time you can just say your name – or you can say your name and say you’re a visitor, or you can say you’re an addict. It’s entirely up to you – NA membership is entirely optional and saying you’re an addict won’t mean you need to join NA, unless you decide you want to.
After the introduction round the chairperson will ask members to read out reading cards. These will be already on chairs at an in-person meeting. You can pass on doing this if you don’t want to. After this the chair will introduce the topic and possibly there will be another reading and then the sharing will begin. It’s unlikely that you will be picked to share, but if you are you can simply say “Thanks but I would like to listen”. If you want to, you can share about what has brought you to the meeting. Most meetings ask that you only share if you are clean for that day. If you have used on the day you go to the meeting, you are still totally welcome, and are encouraged to talk to someone after the meeting.
At the end of the meeting someone may be asked to close the sharing. After the sharing there will be announcements and maybe another reading, and then everyone will close with the serenity prayer again. At in-person meetings, people will probably stand and hold hands and if you’re in the circle you will be expected to join hands. After the meeting someone will likely approach you to talk to you. If they don’t, you can talk to the chairperson and let them know you are new. There are pamphlets and small booklets at most in-person meetings that will tell you a bit about NA and meetings.
At the end of a virtual meeting, there is usually some time to talk to others. If you have particular queries, you may have the opportunity to access the chat to type these out during the meeting – this will depend on the meeting settings. If you still have unanswered queries after the meeting has closed, then you are welcome to call the 0800 number (0800 628 632) or fill in the contact form to ask these.
Most members are friendly, they too all came to their first meeting and most will remember what that was like and will want to make you feel comfortable. It’s quite likely that you won’t be comfortable at your first meeting and this is really normal. After you have been to a few meetings and get to know some of the members personally (or via regular contact on the computer/ phone screen) you will start to look forward to the support and sharing at the meetings.
