Narcotics Anonymous (NA): Narcotics Anonymous is a worldwide fellowship that employs the 12-Step model for members with some form of drug dependency. The  12-Step approach includes a spiritual orientation in which recovery from drug dependency ultimately requires surrender to a “higher power”. This “higher power” does not necessarily indicate a Christian version of God; it can be as simple as the 12-step community, or a different version of a higher power based on an individual’s faith tradition.

NA Quick Guide

• 100% Free
• Abstinence Oriented Approach
• Focused on drug dependency, including Cocaine, Benzodiazepines, Opioid, Methamphetamines, etc)
• Led by non-professional volunteer
• Spiritually-based
• Medication Assisted Treatment (MAT/MOUD) is often not considered abstinent
• Scientific evidence exists that attending NA meetings is associated with decreased drug use and increased rates of abstinence

Types of NA Meetings:

• Open: open to anyone interested in attending an NA Meeting., regardless of whether they are personally experiencing drug dependency

• Closed: reserved for individuals who self-identify as having a drug dependency

• Discussion: Open (OD) or closed (CD), discussion meetings mean someone will introduce a topic related to sobriety that the rest of the group will discuss.

• Speaker: Open (OS) or closed (CS), speaker meetings include an A.A. member sharing his or her story of recovery.

• Beginner (Beg): These meetings typically concentrate on the first three steps of the 12-Step program. They are not, however, restricted to only those new or returning to sobriety.

• Identity: It is also common to see meetings designated for only men, only women, LGBT-friendly, or Spanish-speaking or another foreign language

• Virtual: Meetings are attending virtually from anywhere using a video conferencing platform such a zoom

• In-person: Meetings are attended in person and typically hosted in people’s homes, area churches, nonprofit organizations or local clubhouses

Things to Know about NA:

• Some meetings are more grounded in the Christian tradition of spirituality than others
• Some meetings are welcoming of people with drug dependencies (i.e. opioids, methamphetamines, cocaine, etc.) others are not
• Some meetings are more welcoming of medication assisted treatments (MAT/MOUD) others are not
• Meetings vary and it may take a few different meetings to find a community that works best for you.

To locate a Narcotics Anonymous meeting in our region, go to:

• Tennessee: https://findrecovery.com/na_meetings/tn/
• West TN (mostly Memphis Area): https://www.na-wt.org/meetings/

Alcoholics Anonymous (AA): Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) is a non-profit, mutual aid organization committed to abstinence-based recovery from alcoholism. The “Fellowship” offers social and emotional support for people attempting to recover from alcohol dependence through a 12-step model. The foundation of the AA model is that people can support one another in their quest to maintain abstinence from alcohol, but that recovery from alcoholism ultimately requires surrender to a “higher power”. This “higher power” does not necessarily indicate a Christian version of God; it can be as simple as the 12-step community, or a different version of a higher power based on an individual’s faith tradition. Scientific studies have demonstrated that AA does as well or better than other treatment approaches of alcohol dependence or no treatment.

AA Quick Guide

• 100% Free
• Abstinence Oriented Approach
• Focused on Alcohol, but some meetings welcome people with other substance use issues
• Led by non-professional volunteer
• Spiritually-based
• Medication Assisted Treatment (MAT/MOUD) is often not considered abstinent
• Scientific evidence exists that attending AA meetings is at least as effective as other treatment approaches and better than no treatment at all

Types of AA Meetings:

• Open: open to anyone interested in attending a meeting of A.A., alcoholic or nonalcoholic

• Closed: reserved for alcoholics or prospective A.A. members

• Discussion: Open (OD) or closed (CD), discussion meetings mean someone will introduce a topic related to sobriety that the rest of the group will discuss.

• Speaker: Open (OS) or closed (CS), speaker meetings include an A.A. member sharing his or her story of recovery.

• Beginner (Beg): These meetings typically concentrate on the first three steps of the 12-Step program. They are not, however, restricted to only those new or returning to sobriety.

• Identity: It is also common to see meetings designated for only men, only women, LGBT-friendly, or Spanish-speaking or another foreign language

• Virtual: Meetings are attending virtually from anywhere using a video conferencing platform such a zoom

• In-person: Meetings are attended in person and typically hosted in people’s homes, area churches, nonprofit organizations or local clubhouses

Things to Know about AA:

• Some meetings are more grounded in the Christian tradition of spirituality than others
• Some meetings are welcoming of people with drug dependencies (i.e. opioids, methamphetamines, cocaine, etc.) others are not
• Some meetings are more welcoming of medication assisted treatments others are not
• Meetings vary and it may take a few different meetings to find a community that works best for you.

To locate an Alcoholics Anonymous meeting in our region, go to:

• Central West Tennessee Intergroup of Alcoholics Anonymous: https://aawesttn.org/meetings/
• Memphis: http://www.memphis-aa.org/meetings

SMART Recovery: SMART Recoveryis a non-profit organization offering support groups and related services for individuals desiring to abstain from any type of addictive behavior (activity or substance). “SMART” stands for Self-Management And Recovery Training. The SMART approach to recovery is based on scientifically supported concepts and techniques. Its broadly cognitive-behavioral, because cognitive-behavioral interventions at present account for the majority of empirically supported addiction interventions (Hester & Miller, 1995). This perspective places SMART in contrast to Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) and other 12-step groups, which describe their recovery programs as having a spiritual foundation (Alcoholics Anonymous, 1976).SMART meetings are typically led by a non-professional volunteer (the meeting coordinator). In some instances behavioral health professionals volunteer as coordinators. SMART Recovery focuses on self-empowerment and adopts key principles (e.g., self-efficacy) and therapeutic approaches (e.g., motivational interviewing and cognitive– behavioral therapy) shown to be effective in promoting recovery from addiction.

SMART Recovery – Quick Guide

• 100% Free
• Focused on all addictions, including drugs and alcohol, gambling, relationships, shopping etc.
• Led by non-professional volunteer
• No spiritual component
• Welcoming of individuals on Medication Assisted Treatment (MAT/MOUD)
• Scientific evidence exists that attending SMART Recovery meetings is at least as effective as other treatment approaches and better than no treatment at all

Types of Smart Recovery Meetings:

• Open: open to anyone interested in attending a SMART Recovery meeting alcoholic or nonalcoholic

• Closed: reserved for individuals who self-identify as having an addiction

• Virtual: Meetings are attending virtually from anywhere using a video conferencing platform

• In-person: Meetings are attended in person and typically hosted in area churches and/or nonprofit organizations

Things to Know about SMART Recovery:

• SMART Recovery understands medications as an important part of treatment and therefore being on medications, including Medications for Opioid Use Disorder (MOUD), or other medications to treat substance use or mental health disorders are not stigmatized
• SMART Recovery does not use spiritual approaches to treat addiction
• SMART Recovery primarily uses Cognitive Behavioral Theory (CBT) in its treatment approaches
• SMART Recovery serves people with addictions beyond just alcohol and drugs

To locate a SMART Recovery meeting in our region, go to:

• In Person (https://meetings.smartrecovery.org/meetings/location/)
• Virtual (https://www.smartrecovery.org/community/)

Glossary of Terms:

Mutual aid refers to the social, emotional, and informational support provided by, and to, group members undergoing recovery from addiction (Public Health England, 2015).

12-step model understands addiction as a medical and spiritual disease, and a key feature of the recovery process is relinquishing control to a user-defined “higher power.”