Recovery Programs & Groups

2

Aug 22

Nar-Anon

Tags: Nar-Anon,Narcotics Anonymous,Substance Abuse,Addiction,Treatment,Therapy,Recovery Drug Addiction Meetings

Who Answers?

Nar-Anon members consist of friends and relatives who are concerned about the addiction or drug problem of another person. When you live with someone that suffers from addiction or has a drug problem you're just as affected as they are. Anyone using drugs or suffering from addiction needs help but so does the relatives or friends and that's where Nar-Anon Family Groups can help.

Adapted from Narcotics Anonymous, Nar-Anon uses the Twelve Steps, Twelve Traditions and Twelve Concepts to help individuals that are affected by someone else's addiction. This Twelve-Step Program of recovery holds group meetings in the United States, Canada and worldwide.

It's extremely hard watching someone you love and care about destroy themselves with drugs, relatives and friends are fearful, desperate and broken inside. Living with someone who uses drugs or that's addicted to them makes life very chaotic and worrisome. Nar-Anon members share their experiences with each other and when utilizing the Twelve-Steps they're able to offer each other strength, hope, and recovery.

It doesn't cost anything to attend Nar-Anon Family Group Meetings, the only requirement is that a relative or friend of yours has a problem with drugs or suffers from addiction. Each Nar-Anon Group supports itself by collecting donations to cover only their expenses.

You can't control what someone else does but you can control how it affects you. Attending Nar-Anon meetings and listening to others who share similar feelings and experiences reassures you that you're not alone. People don't come to Nar-Anon meetings seeking recovery for the addict or drug user, they come for wisdom and strength to better understand addiction and to become emotionally happier and healthier for their own recovery.

The Principles of Nar-Anon include the Twelve Steps, Twelve Traditions and Twelve Concepts. Utilizing these principles can benefit your life in ways you can't imagine, you can't stop your loved one or friend from using drugs but you can make a difference in your life and your sanity. Members of Nar-Anon care about others as well as themselves so don't hesitate to find a group meeting near you.

If you or someone you know could benefit from Nar-Anon Family Group meeting, locations are just a click away.

Who Answers?

Free 24 Hour Support and Placement Assistance - 800-839-1663

Who Answers?

2 Comments

1. 
   Darrell M 12 years ago

   After years of having a drug-addicted son and failing at getting him clean, I realized that his addiction had turned my life into shambles. Instead of worrying about my own well-being, my own happiness and my own life, all I did was worry about him. I lost sleep every single night waiting to hear from him to know that he was okay. I couldn't stop thinking about getting a phone call from a hospital or a knock on the door from a cop telling me that my son had died of an overdose or was shot and killed in a drug deal gone wrong.
   
   While I still cared about my son, there came a point where I was tired of losing my own life to his addiction - something I couldn't control - and decided to get help in living a healthy life. I wasn't sure what I should do. No one really seemed to understand what it was like to be the mother of an addict. So, I went to NarAnon, where I hoped that other people would understand. My hopes and wishes came true. The people at NarAnon new exactly where I was coming from. They didn't judge me for having a son on drugs. They didn't think I was a bad parent or that I could have preventing him from becoming an addict.
   
   I've been going to NarAnon for three months and I can honestly say that these three months have been the happiest of my life. I finally understand how to cope with my son's addict and still maintain my own well-being.

2. 
   Shirley A. 12 years ago

   I went to NarAnon for the first time about six months ago. I had just received a phone call from my sister telling me that she signed herself out of rehab ... again. She had been to rehab four times in the past year and had signed herself out each time. I couldn't understand what was going on that she would actively choose to be an addict and to throw away the opportunity for help. Once I realized I was spending more time helping her, figuring out her rehab arrangements, talking her into back to rehab and generally dealing with her problems than I was spending taking care of my kids, I knew it had to change. I went to my first NarAnon meeting that night and my life hasn't been the same since.
   
   
   
   I was lucky enough to get a sponsor the very first night I was at NarAnon. My sponsor is an amazing woman with a daughter addicted to drugs. She's been through everything I've gone through with my sister and then some. She's given me advice and shared her wisdom as she'd guided me through the 12 steps.
   
   
   
   I've learned that I can't control my sister's addiction. All I can do is do everything in my power not to feed into her addiction. When my sister is finally ready to seek treatment I'll do everything I can to help her get help, but I won't do anything to help her addiction go on a minute longer. My priority is finally myself and my kids.