Differance between NA and AA
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Thread Starter
Join Date: Oct 2009
Posts: 71
Differance between NA and AA
My 19 yr old son is addicted to H. He wants to start going to meetings in our area. He did a few 1 1/2 years ago when he got out of rehab...but never stuck with it. Can a drug addict go to AA and vice versa? Will the AA meetings only deal with alcohol...since he does not like drinking; this is hard to relate to for him...
He said he would like to be able to talk to other people ... maybe his age with the same problems....maybe meet new friends...
As we know ...addicts have ahrd time meeting new people.
Also i have been told that meetings sometimes make them want to use more...and people tend to get together after to get high somewhere...True?
He wants to give the 90 meetings in 90 days a try...
Should I be going along with him? Do I google search...NA and my city?
He said he would like to be able to talk to other people ... maybe his age with the same problems....maybe meet new friends...
As we know ...addicts have ahrd time meeting new people.
Also i have been told that meetings sometimes make them want to use more...and people tend to get together after to get high somewhere...True?
He wants to give the 90 meetings in 90 days a try...
Should I be going along with him? Do I google search...NA and my city?
Member
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: minneapolis, mn
Posts: 2,762
I read some posts from other forums from time to time; usually i post in F/F.
But I'd like to weigh in on this.
there are good meetings, and not-so-good meetings. this applies to the whole spectrum.
my addict has never had a problem with alcohol, and he prefers to attend na exclusively. it is a bit of a different animal, using often escalates into much more dangerous behaviors, living a "street life" and all that comes with it, often (though not always!) differerent than the drinkers who can sometimes go through life with more of their lives intact.
with that being said (my opinion of course) the steps are the steps. working the steps, having clean and sober friends, is what will keep him clean. he does need friends, and he may be more comfortable with those who are also recovering from drug addiction.
90 meetings in 90 days is TERRIFIC. he will experience different meetings, and find the ones he wants to keep on his list, and those he wants to throw out. finding the right meetings for him is the ticket.
But I'd like to weigh in on this.
there are good meetings, and not-so-good meetings. this applies to the whole spectrum.
my addict has never had a problem with alcohol, and he prefers to attend na exclusively. it is a bit of a different animal, using often escalates into much more dangerous behaviors, living a "street life" and all that comes with it, often (though not always!) differerent than the drinkers who can sometimes go through life with more of their lives intact.
with that being said (my opinion of course) the steps are the steps. working the steps, having clean and sober friends, is what will keep him clean. he does need friends, and he may be more comfortable with those who are also recovering from drug addiction.
90 meetings in 90 days is TERRIFIC. he will experience different meetings, and find the ones he wants to keep on his list, and those he wants to throw out. finding the right meetings for him is the ticket.
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Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: UK
Posts: 4,682
I dont normally post here either...
I have good friends who go to NA and AA, for them, in the early days, it was easier to relate to other addicts in the early days than alcoholics. In either group there are different people, it all depends on who he relates to and starts hanging round with when he gets into the rooms...relapsers hang around together, sober people hang around together and the rest are somewhere in between:-)
It would be worth making a few calls and getting a contact for himself when he gets to the first meeting, im sure there are numbers out there in your local area...hopefully he will meet a mid twenties guy in the rooms who has a few years sober/clean and he thinks he's the coolest guy he's ever met and wants to have what he has...whatever the rooms are the only place he will find real help IMO...90 in 90 would be cool, 75 in 90 is fine too...its all about going to as many meetings as possible in order that he gets it as quickly as possible so he sticks around and does the work he needs to get and stay sober...
hope it goes well for him and i hope you are getting some help for yourself too because that is just as important for you and him!
I have good friends who go to NA and AA, for them, in the early days, it was easier to relate to other addicts in the early days than alcoholics. In either group there are different people, it all depends on who he relates to and starts hanging round with when he gets into the rooms...relapsers hang around together, sober people hang around together and the rest are somewhere in between:-)
It would be worth making a few calls and getting a contact for himself when he gets to the first meeting, im sure there are numbers out there in your local area...hopefully he will meet a mid twenties guy in the rooms who has a few years sober/clean and he thinks he's the coolest guy he's ever met and wants to have what he has...whatever the rooms are the only place he will find real help IMO...90 in 90 would be cool, 75 in 90 is fine too...its all about going to as many meetings as possible in order that he gets it as quickly as possible so he sticks around and does the work he needs to get and stay sober...
hope it goes well for him and i hope you are getting some help for yourself too because that is just as important for you and him!
Member
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: Kansas
Posts: 10,182
I have attended both NA and AA (I qualify for both), and my limited experience with NA is that there isn't as much solid and long-term recovery as there is in AA. I've attended NA in about 5 neighboring towns/cities in the past (we don't have one in my small town).
My cornerstone of recovery has been in AA since 1986.
Also, at AA meetings I introduce myself only as an alcoholic, not an alcoholic/addict, out of respect for AA.
My cornerstone of recovery has been in AA since 1986.
Also, at AA meetings I introduce myself only as an alcoholic, not an alcoholic/addict, out of respect for AA.
Member
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: limbo
Posts: 2,849
I'm not an addict but my husband is and I have been to many meetings with him............both AA and NA, as well as celebrate recovery (christian based step program)'
any and all would work ---the main thing is for him to go, and keep trying different ones till he finds the ones he really likes.
At his age.........I would also like to mention that our area has "group therapy" out patient meetings that have more----young adults that may be something he could check into as well
good luck, his committment to 90- meetings 90 days is great
any and all would work ---the main thing is for him to go, and keep trying different ones till he finds the ones he really likes.
At his age.........I would also like to mention that our area has "group therapy" out patient meetings that have more----young adults that may be something he could check into as well
good luck, his committment to 90- meetings 90 days is great
Member
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: limbo
Posts: 2,849
PS as for your question about going alone with him.............I only went with my AH when he asked me to go.......but I was also told by a sponsor that going isnt alwys a great idea because he needs to be able to share whats going on with him and often they wont with "us" there because they dont want to worry us or make us suspicous
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