Welcome to the Northwest Area of Narcotics Anonymous! We are a community of individuals who have come together to support one another in our journey of recovery from addiction. Our doors are open to anyone seeking a safe and supportive environment to begin or continue their path of recovery. We invite you to explore our website and learn more about the resources and events we offer. Together, we can overcome the challenges of addiction and find the strength to live a fulfilling, drug-free life.
When at the end of the road we find that we can no longer function as a human being, either with or without drugs, we all face the same dilemma. What is there left to do? There seems to be this alternative: either go on as best we can to the bitter ends—jails, institutions, or death—or find a new way to live. In years gone by, very few addicts ever had this last choice. Those who are addicted today are more fortunate. For the first time in man’s entire history, a simple way has been proving itself in the lives of many addicts. It is available to us all. This is a simple spiritual—not religious—program, known as Narcotics Anonymous.
Narcotics Anonymous (N.A.) is a nonprofit fellowship or society of men and women for whom drugs had become a major problem. We are recovering addicts who meet regularly to help each other stay clean. This is a program of complete abstinence from all drugs. There is only one requirement for membership, the desire to stop using. We suggest that you keep an open mind and give yourself a break. Our program is a set of principles written so simply that we can follow them in our daily lives. The most important thing about them is that they work. We have learned from our group experience that those who keep coming to our meetings regularly stay clean.
February 04, 2026 |
Feeling good isn't the point |
| Page 36 |
| "For us, recovery is more than just pleasure." |
| Basic Text, p. 43 |
| In our active addiction, most of us knew exactly how we were going to feel from one day to the next. All we had to do was read the label on the bottle or know what was in the bag. We planned our feelings, and our goal for each day was to feel good. In recovery, we're liable to feel anything from one day to the next, even from one minute to the next. We may feel energetic and happy in the morning, then strangely let down and sad in the afternoon. Because we no longer plan our feelings for the day each morning, we could end up having feelings that are somewhat inconvenient, like feeling tired in the morning and wide-awake at bedtime. Of course, there's always the possibility we could feel good, but that isn't the point. Today, our main concern is not feeling good but learning to understand and deal with our feelings, no matter what they are. We do this by working the steps and sharing our feelings with others. |
| Just for Today: I will accept my feelings, whatever they may be, just as they are. I will practice the program and learn to live with my feelings. |
| Copyright (c) 2007-2026, NA World Services, Inc. All Rights Reserved |
February 04, 2026 |
Courage in the Face of Self-Doubt |
| Page 36 |
| "There are times when we must find the courage to be the lone voice on an issue or stand up for principle against a strong majority." |
| Guiding Principles, Tradition Two, Opening Essay |
| Tradition Two reassures us that, as individual members, we don't need to have all the answers. But sometimes we do have an answer to an issue that comes up in our group, and we're sure it's the right one. It's well thought-out. It's aligned with our Traditions. Its airtight adherence to our primary purpose of carrying the message is sharp as an axe blade. It's undeniably the right answer--except no one else seems to view the issue the way we do. The group's conscience seems to be veering away from logic, principles, and the spirit of NA. So, do we go with the flow or make waves? When we were using, many of us lived by the old standby "go along to get along." Even though we may not have agreed with what was being said or done by those around us, we lacked the courage to stand up for ourselves, our beliefs, or other people. Working a program helps to reveal what our convictions are and how they're aligned with NA's. In a group situation where going with the flow might be the easier choice, we, first of all, check our motives honestly to make sure we're driven by our common welfare and not our ego. We ask our Higher Power to help us find our voice, shaky as it might be in the face of a strong majority. Courage is the strength to stand up for what we believe in. Courage helps us beat back self-doubt and fears of disappointing or angering others. It keeps us engaged, even open-minded, when our "right" answer is, in the end, sidelined by the majority. Humility can steady us, no matter which way it goes. And, once we find the courage, we can continue to be emboldened to keep using our voice and standing up for principles, while inviting in a Higher Power to influence our group decisions and staying out of the result. |
| I ask for the strength to practice courage to change the things I can. I know what I believe in and will have the courage to stand up for it--and the willingness and humility to accept the outcome. |
| Copyright (c) 2007-2026, NA World Services, Inc. All Rights Reserved |
