TheEnd

Hey guys, I'm in the process of writing a paper comparing AA and NA for my Treatment and Substance Abuse class, and I was wondering if you guys could help me out with any differences that you noticed

Like for instance, I seem to find more AA meetings readily availabe and NA seems to comprised of much younger members.

Things like that, thanks in advance...

LexieCat

One gives out chips, and the other, keychains!

LOL,

I know nothing about NA, though I wandered into a meeting by mistake my first couple of weeks--it meets in the same church--and I thought their gourmet coffee and munchies looked a lot better than ours. All the marijuana addicts, no doubt.

Good luck with the paper--I'll be interested to read some serious responses.

oak

I'm curious to know the differences too. I have not been to an NA meeting yet, but want to check it out. Where I live, there are tons of AA meetings with lots of variation (like women's meetings and meetings that include 30 minutes of silent meditation). But very few NA meetings, in comparison to AA meetings. I am drawn to the alternative AA meetings (mostly the meditation meetings).

I hope lots of people post about the differences. (Lexie- Too funny about the munchies!)

LawMama

I'm not sure, but I did hear an NA guy tell me that one difference he noticed is that in AA if someone doesn't have a strong desire, AA will tell him, "well, try controlled drinking then, and let us know how it goes." So more of a tough-love approach. In NA, he said, they encourage people to work the steps before they make a decision, so maybe they try harder to push people into it? I don't know if this is true, but it is a comment I heard.

I am very curious what the differences are, too. I have heard a lot of AA peeps make negative comments about NA and drug addicts, which I've thought was weird. To me the main difference between me, an alcoholic, and a crack addict or heroin or whatever is drug of choice. And that's about it. But I digress....let us know what you find.

CarolD

I've never attended NA...nor have I written a paper
on the subject. You could go to NA for first
hand observation and literature.

As this is not for your PHD studies....
I'd simply go to one of each and write about your expeirience.

I'd do that if I were interested.....

Freedom1990

My limited experience with NA is there is much less quality, long-term recovery. I qualify for both programs. I started up an NA meeting in the small town I live in after I got out of rehab, and it eventually folded due to lack of participation. There have been a total of 3 times NA was started, and eventually folded.

My foundation has been, and continues to be AA.

They are both good programs, based on the same 12 steps. NA is more inclusive in that its qualifier is drugs, including alcohol. AA's qualifier is alcohol only. I will say that there are many dual addicts in AA, myself included.

When I introduce myself at AA, I introduce myself as an alcoholic, rather than alcoholic/addict out of respect for AA.

Any other questions?

Freedom1990

Those kind of people give AA a bad name. Ugh.

TheEnd

I have gone to NA meetings, in fact I started in NA and then switched to AA, I just wanted to get a perspective of what other people thought.

I too have noticed this, at least at one of the places I have been too...

Sugah

In AA, the first step begins with "We." In NA, every step begins with "We."

In AA, the 12th step says that a spiritual awakening is THE result of these steps; in NA, it says "A" result of these steps.

Those are two things I noticed when I went to AA & NA about 50/50.

Peace & Love,
Sugah

Mark75

In AA they talk of being recoverED...

Zencat

In the local NA meetings that I go too, I hear more people use the word Higher Power than the word God. In the AA meetings I go too its the other way around. Plus Its more accurate for me to say that I'm an addict. I was addicted to both alcohol and drugs. That and in NA they say alcohol is a drug...period. I like that.

Spirit08

No drug addicts know the difference because they all come to AA and hijack the meetings and no one does anything about it.

I name at least two dozens differences between the two.

I can also tell you A LOT about AA. The first being, REMEMBER, THAT WE DEAL WITH ALCOHOL!

Spirit08

My understanding is that you cannot talk about Alcohol in an NA meeting; and as an AA member, I REALLY DON'T CARE IF YOUR AN ADDICT. There are lots of what we call ANDAS...don't really care. We are there to talk about alcohol.

Spirit08

Actually it's the drug addicts that give AA the bad name. There's no where for the alcoholic to go anymore. The meetings in AA have people who identify as an Addict IN CLOSED MEETINGS. They don't say they have a desire to stop drinking and that's all that's required!

yep, venting. makes me INSANE R!

THIS IS WHAT I DO:

LawMama

If an addict has a desire to stop drinking, they are more than welcome in my book. In my opinion, if an addict needs a 12 step meeting and can't find an NA meeting, they are more than welcome. We are all on the same spiritual path.

Boleo

I don't know but I've been told, NA members never grow old. LOL!

Mark75

Well, since I can qualify, and gettin old is gettin real... I gotta get me a NA meeting list...

CarolD

Hmmm....
There are different types of AA meetings.....
I've been attending since '84.........each one
has it's own flavor...depending on who is there
as much as the format agreed on by the
members in the Group Concious....

Your First AA Meeting<

The AA Traditions explain the foundation
The AA program is the 12 Steps.

Spirit08

Carol, Traditions are ignored; so are the Group Concious and the Chairpersons here don't stop the meeting. It's too much. It should just be called an NA meeting! Drives me insane! I Keep Coming Back however. The talk of drugs and paraphenalia freaks me out. Anyone with suggestions on how to become a Tradition Police? haha I'm going to be an oldtimer for Halloween and start making noise when all of the narcotics, illegal substances and prescriptions medications, inhalants, and on and on are mentioned.

Was this thread posted in the NA forum? Anyway, we say sober, they say clean; we say drink, NA says use.

NA terms are used in AA don't use, stay clean and go to AA meetings. Our primary purpose is stay out of the bathroom and away from medicine cabinets! Are you confused yet? lol

Spirit08

Seriously, the difference is in the effect produced by ALCOHOL. How it metabolizes in our body, creating an effect produced by alcohol that makes us want to drink more (the phenomenon of craving.) Drugs are addictive by nature.

Tradition Three is "the only requirement for membership is a desire to stop drinking." Our primary purpose is to stay sober and help other ALCOHOLICS to achieve sobriety.