Effectiveness

According to Alcohol Research & Health, if you attend meetings, have a sponsor, read the literature, have a higher power and work the program your chances of being successful in the program are very high. [1] It also states in Alcoholic Anonymous Big Book that it is rare to see a person fail who has thoroughly followed our the12 step program. If a person does fail and relapses, it is due to them not completely giving themselves to this simple program. With the Big Book of Alcoholics Anonymous text in mind, which Narcotics Anonymous stems from, we can infer that 12 step programs are completely successful for those who work it to the best of their ability. And for those who don't want it or don't put effort in, you simply won't stay clean. [2] In the Narcotics Anonymous The Little White Booklet it states how many people think that recovery is simply a matter of not using drugs but it is much more than physical abstinence. If the addict works steps, gets honest with his or her self, and has a sponsor they can achieve time periods of complete relief from their addiction and the need to constantly use drugs or get high. [3] An Introductory Guide to NA also states that sponsorship, twelves steps, literature, and meetings are key parts of this program that make it effective and help addicts successfully stay clean.[4] In the Basic Text it states our addiction can be arrested and recovery is then possible. We are not responsible for our addiction but we are responsible for our recovery. If a person relapses, the program didn't fail them, they gave in to their addiction. This disease is chronic, progressive, and fatal but it is treatable. In chapter two it states that this program does work. It is up to the person if they will be successful or not. With this in mind, the NA program is effective, but you get out of it what you put into it.[5]

  1. ^ Humphreys, Keith. "Professional Interventions That Facilitate 12-Step Self-Help Group Involvement" (PDF).
  2. ^ Alcoholics Anonymous. Printed in the United States of America: Alcoholics Anonymous World Services,. 2001. pp. Chapter 5 (How it Works).{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: extra punctuation (link)
  3. ^ The Little White Booklet. Van Nuys, CA 91409 USA: Narcotics Anonymous World Services, Incorporated. 2007. pp. 10, 12. ISBN 978-0-912075-39-6.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location (link)
  4. ^ An Introductory Guide to Narcotics Anonymous. Van Nuys, CA 91409 USA: Narcotics Anonymous World Services, Incorporated. 1991. pp. 127, 128. ISBN 978-1-55776-148-4.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location (link)
  5. ^ Narcotics Anonymous (Sixth Edition). Chatsworth, CA: Narcotics Anonymous World Services, Inc. 2008. pp. 7, 8, 9, 30. ISBN 9781557767349.