What is NA?
Narcotics Anonymous (NA) is a nonprofit fellowship of people for whom substance use has become a major problem; its primary purpose is to help members stop using drugs and support each other in recovery, with meetings available in locations like https://www.wfmh.org/na/california/san-diego-county/san-diego.
NA is a free, peer-led program with regular group meetings held in cities across the United States, including multiple meetings throughout San Diego County, California.
Ocean Beach Recreation Center — 4726 Santa Monica Ave, San Diego, CA 92107
- Meeting times: Monday 8:00 PM (Topic Discussion), Tuesday 7:00 PM (Topic Discussion), Wednesday 8:00 PM (Literature Study), Friday 8:00 PM (Speaker Meeting), Saturday 8:00 PM (Topic Discussion), Sunday 7:00 PM (Newcomer Meeting).
- Methods/details: Topic Discussion meetings center on a focused subject where members share personal experience related to the topic and how it applies to recovery, usually with a chairperson guiding shares to allow everyone a turn.
- Methods/details: Literature Study meetings use NA-approved texts (including the Basic Text and recovery pamphlets) read aloud and discussed to relate written recovery experience to members’ personal progress.
Pacific Beach Library — 4275 Cass St, San Diego, CA 92109
- Meeting times: Sunday 6:00 PM (Topic Discussion).
- Methods/details: Topic Discussion format encourages member participation with a rotating speaker or open share format; newcomers encounter peer support, practical tips, and reminders about anonymity and group traditions.
- Methods/details: Meetings held in public community spaces such as libraries emphasize accessibility and confidentiality—attendees are asked to respect privacy and avoid sharing identifying information outside the room.
First Lutheran Church — 1420 3rd Ave, San Diego, CA 92101
- Meeting times: Monday 7:00 PM (Candlelight Meeting).
- Methods/details: Candlelight meetings are typically held in the evening with dimmed lights and a more reflective tone; members are often invited to share longer-format personal stories and recovery reflections.
- Methods/details: Speaker meetings feature one or more members who deliver prepared testimonies about their recovery journey followed by group discussion and Q&A to illustrate practical application of the Twelve Steps.
The 12 Steps of NA
- We admitted we were powerless over our addiction—that our lives had become unmanageable. This step establishes the acceptance that alone the person cannot reliably control drug use and that help is needed from a supportive fellowship.
- We came to believe that a Power greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity. Members interpret “Power” in personal, spiritual, or secular ways; the emphasis is on openness to outside help and hope for change.
- We made a decision to turn our will and our lives over to the care of that Power as we understood it. This step asks for a deliberate willingness to act on the belief that recovery is possible with support beyond lone willpower.
- We made a searching and fearless moral inventory of ourselves. Members work through personal history, behaviors, and patterns to identify underlying issues that contributed to addiction, often with written inventories.
- We admitted to the Power, to ourselves, and to another human being the exact nature of our wrongs. Verbalizing the inventory to another person helps reduce shame and begin the process of accountability and healing.
- We were entirely ready to have the Power remove all these defects of character. This step cultivates readiness to change long-standing behaviors and character defects that perpetuate addiction.
- We humbly asked the Power to remove our shortcomings. Members practice humility and ongoing self-improvement by requesting help to change specific behaviors and attitudes.
- We made a list of all persons we had harmed and became willing to make amends to them all. This step prepares members for responsible repair of relationships damaged by addiction, starting with willingness rather than immediate action.
- We made direct amends to such people wherever possible, except when to do so would injure them or others. Making amends is concrete restitution where possible; exceptions protect others’ wellbeing or legal considerations.
- We continued to take personal inventory and when we were wrong promptly admitted it. Ongoing self-assessment helps sustain recovery by identifying slip risks early and correcting course quickly.
- We sought through prayer and meditation to improve our conscious contact with the Power we understood, praying for knowledge of its will and the power to carry that out. This step encourages practices—spiritual or secular—that sustain clarity, purpose, and ethical action.
- Having had a spiritual awakening as the result of these steps, we tried to carry this message to addicts and to practice these principles in all our affairs. Members are encouraged to support newcomers, sponsor others, and live recovering principles daily.
The Twelve Steps aim to motivate members toward positive, sustained change across San Diego and throughout California by combining peer support, personal inventory, restitution, and ongoing service to others.
Getting Started with NA in California, San Diego, San Diego, USA
To find current, local NA meetings the best option is to search meetings on wfmh.org; use that site to locate meeting addresses, times, and formats in your area.
Both in-person and online/virtual meetings are available in most places within the San Diego region; regional NA pages list virtual meeting links as well as face-to-face meetings.
Attending Your First Local NA Meeting
NA meetings in San Diego are generally either open or closed; open meetings welcome the public including family, friends, and professionals, while closed meetings are limited to people who have a desire to stop using drugs.
| Meeting Type | Description |
|---|---|
| Open Meeting | Open to anyone interested in NA recovery including non-addicts; useful for newcomers who want to observe format and language without committing to closed membership. |
| Closed Meeting | Restricted to those who identify as having a desire to stop using drugs; offers a more private atmosphere for members to share personal experience and work the Steps. |
- Arrive early and introduce yourself as a new local member so group members can orient you to format and local customs.
- Share your experiences only if you feel comfortable; confidentiality and anonymity are core expectations in NA meetings.
- Receive welcome keychain tags at your first meeting in many groups to mark recovery milestones and encourage continued attendance.
List of tag milestones
- 30 days: A small token or chip is commonly given to celebrate the first month of continuous abstinence and to recognize early progress and commitment.
- 60 days: A second milestone chip acknowledges continued effort beyond the initial month and reinforces the developing recovery routine.
- 1 year: The one-year chip commemorates a significant recovery milestone and is often accompanied by public recognition at a meeting to honor sustained abstinence and growth.
- Etc.: Additional milestones commonly include 18 months, 2 years, multiple years, and long-term anniversaries; chips and tokens vary by group but serve to motivate and mark long-term recovery progress.