What is Narcotics Anonymous?
Narcotics Anonymous is a worldwide drug addiction support group. Beginning in the 1950s, it is based on the 12-step program and provides a comfortable, accepting environment where addicts share their experiences and emotions for healing. Presently, there are over 70,000 NA meetings worldwide; programs are free, with locations throughout the United States, including Fort Lauderdale. You can find more information on available meetings and support in your area by visiting https://www.methadone.org/rehabs/florida/broward/fort-lauderdale/ for further details about Narcotics Anonymous meetings.
Narcotics Anonymous Meetings in Fort Lauderdale
There are multiple locations in Fort Lauderdale at which NA meetings are conducted. Each location has its own set of meeting times and formats, making it accommodating for different schedules and personal preferences. The following key locations and their meeting schedules are listed below.
1010 W. Broward Blvd, Fort Lauderdale, FL
Meeting Times:
- Mondays: 7:00 PM
- Wednesdays: 8:00 PM
- Fridays: 12:00 PM
Methods/Details:
- Step Study
- Speaker
- Open to all newcomers and veterans alike
- 12-step recovery and discussion-based meetings
2201 N. Federal Hwy, Fort Lauderdale, FL
Meeting Times:
- Tuesdays at 6:30 PM
- Thursdays at 7:00 PM
- Sundays at 10:00 AM
Methods/Details:
- Literature-based discussions
- Meditation and recovery-focused group conversations
- Closed meetings only for those with a desire to stop using drugs
- Emphasis on personal growth, spirituality, and shared experiences among members
3450 Galt Ocean Dr, Fort Lauderdale, FL
Meeting Times:
- Mondays at 5:30 PM
- Wednesdays at 9:00 AM
- Saturdays at 11:00 AM
Methods/Details:
- Topic-driven discussions based on NA literature
- Open meetings with a focus on providing support to all attendees
- Emphasis on recovery tools and maintaining sobriety
- Safe, confidential environment for people in early or long-term recovery
The NA Fort Lauderdale Meetings
The NA Fort Lauderdale meetings provide a valuable service to the community, allowing addicted individuals to seek their path to healing and recovery in a caring environment. Meetings are open to any person who feels they have a drug problem, regardless of their drug of choice.
NA’s Purpose
NA’s purpose is first and foremost to help people who have the disease of addiction. NA encourages members to share personal stories, difficulties, and successes; emotional support is fostered through the process of fellowship and a sense of accountability. The Fort Lauderdale meetings are arranged in such a way that a sense of community is established so that all people will feel comfortable sharing their struggles without being judged.
Meetings Structure
- NA meetings are free and confidential, not being aligned with any religious or political entities.
- All their meetings are based on the 12-step program: finding self-awareness, growing personally, and healing together.
- The program reminds that recovery is a lifetime process; for this reason, regular meeting attendance is encouraged to promote stable sobriety and strong support among members.
Founded in the 1950s, Now Over 70,000 Meetings Globally
Narcotics Anonymous is a group that basically developed in the 1950s to meet a huge demand created by rampant narcotics addiction. Today, that single group has spread and grown internationally, offering upwards of over 70,000 meetings worldwide. By far and large, people from different walks of life continue to listen in faith to their message of hope and healing and win against their demons through common shared experiences.
In Fort Lauderdale, much like other major cities globally, NA is of immense importance in serving these individuals. Members find a sense of strength, comfort, and guidance through regularly scheduled group meetings as they strive for long-term recovery.
The 12 Steps of NA
The 12 Steps of Narcotics Anonymous are a set of principles that guide members through the process of quitting their addiction and living a sober life. The steps encourage members to effect change in their lives, gain insight, and take responsibility for themselves and their personal growth. Following is a short description of each step:
- Admitting Powerlessness: Admit that life has become unmanageable because of addiction.
- Belief in Higher Power: Come to believe that a higher power is capable of restoring sanity.
- Decision to Turn Over Control: Decide to turn your will and life over to the care of a higher power.
- Moral Inventory: Take a fearless and searching moral inventory of yourself.
- Admitting Wrongs: Admit to yourself, to another person, and to your higher power the exact nature of your wrongs.
- Readiness to Remove Defects: Become entirely ready to have the higher power remove all defects of character.
- Asking for Help: Humbly ask the higher power to remove shortcomings.
- Making Amends: Make a list of people you have harmed and become willing to make amends.
- Making Direct Amends: Wherever possible, make direct amends to people you have harmed.
- Ongoing Self-Reflection: Continue to take personal inventory and promptly admit when wrong.
- Seeking Spiritual Growth: Seek through prayer and meditation to improve your conscious contact with the higher power.
- Helping Others: Carry the NA message to still-suffering addicts and practice these principles in all areas of life.
Aims to Motivate Members Toward Positive Change Across Fort Lauderdale
These 12 steps provide a clear framework for recovery, helping individuals in Fort Lauderdale and worldwide find hope, motivation, and strength in their journey to overcome addiction.
Getting Started with NA in Fort Lauderdale
First and foremost, getting started in Narcotics Anonymous in Fort Lauderdale is an easy task to do via the meeting search feature option on methadone.org. With their service, all one has to do is type a location or a zip code into their website’s search option to get numerous answers on various meeting locations around such areas that could best fit a candidate’s schedules and personal desires for in-person and online/virtual gatherings. Many meetings offer a mix of both to accommodate either case for different needs and sometimes situations. Online meetings, which give the luxury to attend within the comforts of your home, and on-ground meetings, which give the capacity for face-to-face interaction to give and receive person-to-person support.
Attending Your First Local NA Meeting
When attending your first Narcotics Anonymous meeting in Fort Lauderdale, it’s important to understand the difference between open and closed meetings. Knowing the distinction will help you select the right meeting to attend based on your personal preferences.
Open vs Closed Meetings in Fort Lauderdale
| Meeting Type | Description |
|---|---|
| Open Meeting | Open to anyone interested in learning about NA, including friends, family, and those who are not yet in recovery. |
| Closed Meeting | Limited to those who express a desire to lead a drug-free life, affording members an atmosphere of greater comfort and security. |
It is a good idea to show up early for your first meeting to get settled in and introduce yourself as a newcomer. In this way, you can get used to the format of the meeting and be at ease with the start of recovery. You may, if you wish, share your story at the meeting, but it is not necessary. Many newcomers find that just listening to others helps them get valuable insights and inspiration.
At your first meeting, you will be given a welcome keychain tag as a symbol of your commitment to the recovery process. The key tags are a reminder in concrete form of how far you have come and of the support that is available from the NA community. Often, the keychain tags are given to the members upon achieving certain milestones in their recoveries. The milestones and their respective tag colors are:
- 30 days: First milestone, marking one month of being clean.
- 60 days: Recognition of two months of continued recovery.
- 1 year: One-year celebration of sobriety and dedication to recovery.
- Additional: Tags are available for further sobriety dates, usually celebrated annually.
These keychain tags are a motivational reminder and a connection to the greater NA fellowship, helping you celebrate your progress while encouraging the next steps in your recovery.