What does a newcomer do at an NA meeting?
Question:
What should I expect? Are they going to ask me to tell them why i'm there in front of everyone? I don't think I could. I'd probably break down mid sentence. Can I just sit and listen? Should I talk?
Answers:
HELLO DANIELLE,
When you go to an NA meeting for the first time you just do what you feel comfortable doing. If you want to sit and listen to everyone else, then that is OK. If you feel like sharing then by all means please do. But one mistake you do not want to make is telling "war stories".and what I mean by the war stories is when people sit around and say, Oh yeah, I did this drug and that drug for this period of time and that period of time. People in recovery don't want to hear things like that because a war story could be a trigger for someone else to go out and do drugs again. Eventually, at some point in time, you will probably want to share something...or NOT.and that is just ok. So once again, I want to tell you how proud I am of you. YOU GO GIRL........
yes babe, u can just sit and listen. theyll say hello and all that good stuff, but you dont have to say ANYTHING. actually they encourage u NOT to share what drugs uve used :o)
good luck and be strong.
i went through a terrible coke addiction for well over a year.
I am in NA and you don't have to do anything. It does not cost anything and you don't have to sign anything. Just relax and be yourself. Realize there are many people in NA who know exactly how you feel. You will be welcomed and you will be accepted. Peace to You.
As a long time member of alcoholics anonymous, It's very unlikely you will be ask to say anything except your given name and last name and last name inital. If ask to talk just say I have a cocane habbit and prefer to just listen at this time. Everyone will respect your wishes and they will understand your feelings.Remember they are there for the same reason you are. Relax and just be yourself.
Your first meeting you should sit and listen. They may ask if there is anyone that is there for their first meeting and you can introduce yourself and then just sit and listen. You don't have any solution at this point so you cant talk about something you don't have. You will get there if you work the program. Go and breathe and listen. Good Luck and God Bless. If you need to talk you can e-mail me.
Hi Danielle,
I am very proud of you for wanting to go. :)
First of all, my suggestion would be to be open, honest and share the facts. Secondly, listen, with an open heart and mind.
Things might seem overwhelming at this point, the goal here it to sort out the priorities and clean things up. First things first is for you to admit and address that you have a problem. It will all smooth out from there...
Best sincere wishes...
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