Why public relations
is important to the NA member?
The Narcotics
Anonymous message is “that an addict, any addict, can stop using
drugs, lose the desire to use and find a new way to live.” Our
relations with the public enable us to share this message
broadly so that those who might benefit from our program of
recovery can find us. We perform public relations service to
increase the awareness and credibility of the NA program. We
share our message openly with the public at large, with
prospective members, and with professionals. Maintaining an
open, attractive attitude in these efforts helps us to create
and improve relationships with those outside the fellowship.
Establishing and maintaining a commitment to these
relationships, can help us to further our primary purpose.
The spiritual
principles of our steps, traditions, and concepts guide us in
pursuing our public relations aims and our efforts to enhance
NA’s public image and reputation. These principles apply to our
community and service efforts as well as to the personal
behavior and attitude of individual NA members.
Informing professionals and the public
Narcotics
Anonymous is a global, community-based organization with a
multi-lingual and multicultural membership. NA was founded in
1953, and our membership growth was minimal during our initial
twenty years as an organization. Since the publication of our
Basic Text in 1983, the number of members and meetings has
increased dramatically. Today, NA members hold more than 43,000
meetings weekly in 118 countries. We offer recovery from the effects of addiction
through working a twelve-step program, including regular
attendance at group meetings. The group atmosphere provides help
from peers and offers an ongoing support network for addicts who
wish to pursue and maintain a drug-free lifestyle.
Our name,
Narcotics Anonymous, is not meant to imply a focus on any
particular drug; NA’s approach makes no distinction between
drugs including alcohol. Membership is free, and we have no
affiliation with any organizations outside of NA including
governments, religions, law enforcement groups, or medical and
psychiatric associations. Through all of our service efforts and
our cooperation with others seeking to help addicts, we strive
to reach a day when every addict in the world has an opportunity
to experience our message of recovery in his or her own language
and culture.
