What is NA?
Narcotics Anonymous (NA) is a global, community-based support group designed for individuals struggling with drug addiction, offering a safe environment to share experiences and support recovery. Those in Erie, Pennsylvania can find local meeting information and resources at https://www.methadone.org/na/pennsylvania/erie-county/erie/ to help engage with the community and participate in regular NA sessions.
NA offers a free program with regularly scheduled group meetings across cities in the United States, including Erie, Pennsylvania. These meetings emphasize mutual aid and follow a structured twelve-step recovery process to promote sobriety and personal growth.
Christ United Methodist Church
Address: 2615 West 32nd Street, Erie, Pennsylvania, 16506
Meetings time: Friday at 9:00 PM
This meeting, known as the “HOW Friday Night Group,” follows a questions and answers format, allowing members to seek clarity on recovery topics and share insights. It fosters open dialogue and mutual understanding within a structured one-hour session.
Holy Trinity Church
Address: 643 West 17th Street, Erie, Pennsylvania, 16502
Meetings times: Sunday at 7:30 PM and Wednesday at 7:00 PM
The Sunday meeting, “Good Orderly Direction Group,” is a discussion/participation format focused on order and structure in recovery efforts, encouraging accountability. The Wednesday “Inner Peace Group” provides a calm, non-smoking environment supporting open discussions aimed at fostering emotional and spiritual peace.
First Christian Church
Address: 823 Cherry Street, Erie, Pennsylvania, 16503
Meetings time: Tuesday at 7:00 PM
The “Keep The Faith Group” meeting adopts a discussion and participation method where members share experiences to reinforce faith in their recovery journey. The non-smoking setting supports a healthy atmosphere, and the meeting typically lasts one hour.
The 12 Steps of NA
- Admit powerlessness: We acknowledge that addiction has become unmanageable, and our lives are out of control due to drugs. This admission is the first step toward regaining control over our lives.
- Believe in a higher power: We come to believe that a power greater than ourselves can restore our sanity and help us recover from addiction.
- Decide to turn will and life: We make a decision to turn our will and lives over to the care of this higher power, trusting in its guidance for our well-being.
- Conduct a moral inventory: We undertake a fearless self-examination of our behavior and past mistakes to better understand ourselves and our addiction.
- Admit wrongs: We admit to ourselves, to our higher power, and to another person the exact nature of our wrongs, promoting honesty and humility.
- Prepare to have defects removed: We become entirely ready to have our character defects removed by our higher power, opening the door to change.
- Ask for removal of shortcomings: We humbly ask the higher power to remove our shortcomings and help us improve.
- Make a list of amends: We make a list of all persons harmed by our addiction and become willing to make amends to them all, promoting accountability and restitution.
- Make direct amends: Wherever possible, we make direct amends to those we have harmed, except when doing so would injure them or others.
- Continue personal inventory: We continue to take personal inventory and promptly admit when we are wrong, ensuring ongoing self-awareness and growth.
- Seek spiritual connection: Through prayer and meditation, we seek to improve our conscious contact with our higher power, seeking knowledge of its will and strength to carry it out.
- Carry the message: Having experienced a spiritual awakening, we carry this message to others struggling with addiction and practice these principles in all our affairs.
This program encourages and motivates members across Pennsylvania, Erie, Erie, USA to achieve and sustain positive change in their lives through spiritual growth and mutual support.
Getting Started with NA in Pennsylvania, Erie, Erie, USA
To locate local Narcotics Anonymous meetings in Erie or across Pennsylvania, the best resource is methadone.org, which provides up-to-date meeting information. Both in-person and virtual meetings are available in most regions, offering flexible options to meet members’ preferences and needs.
Attending Your First Local NA Meeting
When attending NA meetings in Erie, Pennsylvania, it’s helpful to understand the differences between open and closed meetings before participating. Arriving early is recommended so you can introduce yourself as a new member and get acquainted.
If comfortable, sharing your experiences during the meeting can be beneficial. New attendees often receive welcome keychain tags that mark recovery milestones and encourage continued commitment.
| Meeting Type | Description |
|---|---|
| Open Meetings | Open to anyone interested in learning about NA recovery, including newcomers, family, and friends. These meetings allow observers and participation by non-addicts. |
| Closed Meetings | Restricted to those who identify as addicted to drugs or struggling with addiction. These meetings provide a confidential and focused environment for sharing and recovery. |
- 30 days: Newcomer keychain tags mark the initial month of continuous sobriety, celebrating the first milestone.
- 60 days: Tags given after two months to recognize ongoing commitment and progress in recovery.
- 1 year: A significant milestone tag acknowledging a full year of sobriety and dedication to the program.
- Additional milestones include 18 months, 2 years, and longer, encouraging sustained recovery.