What is NA?
Narcotics Anonymous (NA) is a community-based, nonprofit support group dedicated to individuals struggling with drug addiction. Founded in the 1950s, NA provides a free peer-to-peer recovery program through regular group meetings held across the United States including https://www.wfmh.org/na/puerto-rico. These meetings offer a safe, welcoming, and judgment-free environment where members can share experiences, find encouragement, and build support networks.
In Puerto Rico, NA meetings are accessible for anyone seeking recovery help, providing structured sessions that promote long-term sobriety and personal growth.
San Juan
Location: Calle Loíza 1608, San Juan, Puerto Rico 00911
Meetings Time: Monday, Wednesday, and Friday at 8:00 PM
Meeting Format: These meetings follow the traditional NA format, where participants take turns sharing their personal stories, struggles, and successes in recovery. The environment is supportive, with no professionals leading the group, focusing instead on mutual aid and peer encouragement. Newcomers are welcomed warmly and invited to contribute when ready.
Ponce
Location: Calle Aponte 55, Ponce, Puerto Rico 00716
Meetings Time: Tuesday and Thursday at 7:30 PM, Sunday at 6:00 PM
Meeting Format: These sessions in Ponce foster inclusiveness, welcoming diverse backgrounds and stages of recovery. Meetings often feature guest speakers who provide personal narratives and insights, enriching the group’s understanding and motivation to maintain sobriety.
Mayagüez
Location: Calle Marginal 225, Mayagüez, Puerto Rico 00680
Meetings Time: Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday at 8:00 PM
Meeting Format: Mayagüez meetings emphasize open discussions supported by NA literature readings. Attendees share challenges and victories, building a community resource crucial for residents in the western part of Puerto Rico aiming to recover and sustain abstinence.
The 12 Steps of NA
- Admitted powerlessness: We admitted we were powerless over our addiction—that our lives had become unmanageable. This acknowledgment is the first step toward recovery, recognizing that control must be relinquished.
- Belief in a Higher Power: Came to believe that a Power greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity. This step opens the door to hope and faith in recovery beyond personal efforts.
- Decision to turn over will: Made a decision to turn our will and lives over to the care of God as we understood Him. It emphasizes surrendering control to aid healing.
- Made a fearless moral inventory: Conducted a thorough and honest self-examination of our past behaviors and their consequences. This aids self-awareness and acceptance.
- Admitted wrongs to God, ourselves, and others: Confessed the exact nature of our wrongs to those parties, promoting accountability and humility.
- Ready to have defects removed: Were entirely ready to have God remove all these defects of character, symbolizing readiness for change.
- Humbly asked for removal of shortcomings: Asked Him to remove our shortcomings, showing active effort in spiritual growth.
- Made a list of people harmed: Made a list of all persons we had harmed and became willing to make amends to them all, preparing to repair relationships.
- Made direct amends: Made direct amends wherever possible except when doing so would injure them or others, practicing restitution and reconciliation.
- Continued personal inventory: Continued to take personal inventory and promptly admitted when we were wrong, encouraging ongoing self-reflection.
- Prayed and meditated: Sought through prayer and meditation to improve conscious contact with God as we understood Him, aiming for knowledge of His will and strength to carry it out.
- Carried the message: Having had a spiritual awakening as the result of these steps, we tried to carry this message to addicts and practice these principles in all affairs. This step fosters outreach and service.
These steps aim to motivate members throughout Puerto Rico toward positive change by promoting honesty, accountability, spiritual growth, and community support.
Getting Started with NA in Puerto Rico, USA
For individuals interested in starting their recovery journey with NA, the most reliable way to find local meetings in Puerto Rico is by searching on wfmh.org. This website provides an updated directory of NA meetings across Puerto Rico, including both in-person and online/virtual options available in most areas.
Attending Your First Local NA Meeting
NA meetings in Puerto Rico may be either “open” or “closed.” Here is a summary of each meeting type:
| Meeting Type | Description |
|---|---|
| Open Meeting | Anyone interested in learning about NA and the recovery process is welcome to attend, including family, friends, and the general public. |
| Closed Meeting | Attendance is limited strictly to individuals who identify as addicts, ensuring a confidential and supportive recovery environment. |
- Arrive early at your first meeting and introduce yourself as a new local member to foster connection.
- Share your experiences and feelings if you feel comfortable doing so; participation is encouraged but not mandatory.
- Receive a welcome keychain tag that marks your abstinence milestones, a token of encouragement and recognition.
Common NA keychain milestone tags include:
- 30 days: Celebrates one month of continuous abstinence, encouraging early commitment.
- 60 days: Marks two months of sobriety, reinforcing dedication to recovery.
- 90 days (3 months): Recognizes the completion of a significant early phase in addiction recovery.
- 6 months: Highlights sustained progress and greater stability.
- 9 months: Encourages perseverance as sobriety is firmly established.
- 1 year: Commemorates a full year free from addictive substances, a major recovery milestone.
- 18 months and multiple years: Celebrate long-term sobriety, inspiring continuous support and motivation for others.