What is Narcotics Anonymous?
Narcotics Anonymous is a worldwide support system for drug addicts. NA was founded in the 1950s and has a free, nonprofit program based on personal development and recovery through a 12-step process. The organization holds over 70,000 meetings worldwide and is an important avenue for substance abusers seeking to kick the habit. NA is based on the main principle of finding a support community that can help in such a recovery process. Thus, meetings are open for any addicted individuals, and participation is free of charge. For those in Fort Lauderdale, you can find local NA meetings and additional resources through https://www.methadone.org/rehabs/florida/broward/fort-lauderdale/.
Narcotics Anonymous Meetings in Fort Lauderdale
Several locations within Fort Lauderdale host NA meetings regularly; thus, there is a good avenue for recovery through sharing and being in a sober company. Below are some of the major meeting places in the city:
First United Methodist Church
Address: 101 S. 6th Ave, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33301
Meeting Times: Tuesdays and Thursdays, 7:00 PM to 8:00 PM
Meeting Details: The First United Methodist Church offers both open and closed meetings. Anyone can attend an open meeting while the closed ones are only for members. Group discussions, sharing personal experiences, and sharing ways of coping with drug addiction usually characterize the sessions. It is a very peaceful and friendly place for people at different recovery stages.
Serenity House Recovery Center
Address: 5100 W. Copans Rd, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33063
Meeting Times: Monday, Wednesday, Friday, 6:30 pm – 7:30 pm
Meeting Details: Nestled away in a quiet corner of Fort Lauderdale, Serenity House Recovery Center is dedicated to providing a sanctuary for recovering individuals. The meetings held here incorporate a 12-step program with a mix of speaker and discussion formats. Participants are encouraged to share their personal experiences, challenges, and listen to others in a caring environment. These meetings help individuals who need guidance and the support of people who have gone through or are going through similar situations.
Recovery Church of Fort Lauderdale
Address: 507 S.E. 6th Ave, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33301
Meeting Times: Sundays and Thursdays, 8:00 PM to 9:00 PM
Meeting Details: NA meetings in Fort Lauderdale are held at The Recovery Church. Meetings here integrate spiritual and practical recovery information to help persons with addictive illnesses. In these meetings, one might expect guest speakers, sharing circles, discussion groups, and the most important elements of fellowship-participating among people who really understand their addiction problems. This is also a great environment that is nurturing, yet without judgment, offering positive relations within the members.
These meetings are just a few of the options available in Fort Lauderdale. Narcotics Anonymous provides essential support to individuals working to overcome drug addiction, fostering community, understanding, and a path toward recovery. Whether you’re new to recovery or looking to maintain progress, NA meetings offer a consistent, compassionate resource for people in need.
The 12 Steps of Narcotics Anonymous
Narcotics Anonymous (NA) 12-Step recovery is a program of activities outlined and carried out to help people recover from addictive illness through gaining insight into personal defects, character faults, and spiritual blindness. It helps individuals understand their need to assume responsibility for their life by using knowledge and taking the necessary steps towards positive change in their life. Below are the 12 steps of NA with brief details:
- We admitted we were powerless over our addiction – that our lives had become unmanageable.
Admitting the inability to control addiction is the first step toward recovery. - Came to believe that a Power greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity.
Development of faith in a higher power to help regain control over one’s life. - Made a decision to turn our will and our lives over to the care of God as we understood Him.
Surrendering personal control to a higher power for guidance and support. - Made a searching and fearless moral inventory of ourselves.
Taking a deep honest look at one’s behaviors, mistakes, and patterns. - Admitted to God, to ourselves, and to another human being the exact nature of our wrongs.
Admitting past mistakes to further facilitate healing and self-acceptance. - Were fully ready to have God remove all these defects of character.
Becoming open and willing to change old habits and behaviors. - Humbly asked Him to remove our shortcomings.
Seeking assistance from a higher power to address personal flaws and shortcomings. - Made a list of all persons we had harmed, and became willing to make amends to them all.
Making amends: Identifying persons who had been hurt by one’s actions and preparing to make amends. - Direct amends to such people were made wherever possible, except when to do so would injure them or others.
Apologize and seek forgiveness from those hurt, unless it would cause further harm. - Continued to take personal inventory and when we were wrong promptly admitted it.
Practice ongoing self-reflection and accountability throughout recovery. - Sought through prayer and meditation to improve our conscious contact with God as we understood Him, praying only for knowledge of His will for us and the power to carry that out.
Cultivating a deeper spiritual connection and seeking guidance for personal growth. - Having had a spiritual awakening as the result of these steps, we tried to carry this message to addicts, and to practice these principles in all our affairs.
Sharing the lessons learned with others and integrating these principles into daily life.
These steps are central to the NA program and are designed to help members achieve lasting positive change and recovery.
Getting Started with NA in Fort Lauderdale
Finding Local Meetings
In getting started, Narcotics Anonymous meetings within Fort Lauderdale will be available from the Methadone.org website by the meeting search tool. These are pretty encompassing searches to help someone find their best match both in in-person and online or virtual NA meetings that match your needs. Most of the meeting places within Fort Lauderdale have more than one style or format in which to engage.
Types of Meetings Available
NA meetings in Fort Lauderdale involve in-person and virtual ones; you can join those that are most convenient to you. The in-person meetings could be at a local church, any recovery center, or in community spaces, while for virtual meetings, there will be flexibility for people.
Attending Your First Local NA Meeting
Open vs. Closed Meetings
When attending your first NA meeting, you’ll encounter two types of meetings: open and closed. Here’s a quick distinction:
| Meeting Type | Description |
|---|---|
| Open | Open to anyone interested in attending, whether they are in recovery or simply want to learn more about NA. |
| Closed | For individuals who identify as having an addiction. Only those struggling with addiction can attend. |
What to Expect at Your First Meeting
- Arrive early and introduce yourself as a new member. This will help create a friendly environment and will make you more at ease.
- Share your experiences if you feel comfortable. Sharing is encouraged but never required. It’s important to listen and learn from others as well.
- Welcome keychain tags are given to the new members in their first meeting as a sign of starting recovery. These tags are milestone markers that symbolize your journey in recovery.
Keychain Tag Milestones
During NA meetings, members are often given keychain tags to mark the following milestones in their recovery:
- 30 days
- 60 days
- 1 year
- Anniversary tags for longer milestones, such as 18 months or 5 years
These tags serve as a tangible reminder of the progress you’ve made and are a great way to track your achievements.
