Inside a Narcotics Anonymous Meeting

In order to learn more about Narcotics Anonymous, I attending a Narcotics Anonymous meeting. The following are my observations of a typical Narcotics Anonymous meeting and I have maintained the anonymity of all of those persons present and have tried to give my honest first impressions of Narcotics Anonymous for those interested.

The Atmosphere

When I came into the meeting place for this Narcotics Anonymous meeting I felt a little ill at ease and was expecting the same sort of welcome as at AA. This might have been because I was a little early but there was certainly a little more overall tension at this meeting although I still can’t pinpoint the reason for it. There was a smaller group than I expected and it was clear that there were several other newcomers or at least those who were not entirely familiar with Narcotics Anonymous. Other than these more internalized perceptions, the atmosphere in general at the Narcotics Anonymous meeting was what could be expected with the requisite chairs and tables arranged in a circular pattern so everyone could face one another. There was coffee and store-bought cookies that were free for the taking and many people did help themselves, especially to the coffee. After the Narcotics Anonymous meeting, everyone helped put things back in order and there was a general feeling of everyone working together. There was a discussion about some of the participants having coffee after the next meeting and I was invited to come along, which was a nice gesture. After the Narcotics Anonymous meeting everything seemed much more relaxed and I did not feel the tension I did upon arriving.