The 12 steps of Narcotics Anonymous

JAKARTA (JP): "What are the 12 Steps of Narcotics Anonymous?" is always the most frequently asked question by addicts, families and the general population.

1. We admit that we are powerless over our addiction, that our lives have become unmanageable.

2. We come to believe that a Power greater than ourselves can restore us to sanity.

3. We make the decision to turn our will and our lives over to the care of God as we understand Him.

4. We make a searching and fearless moral inventory of ourselves.

5. We admit to God, to ourselves, and to other human beings the exact nature of our wrongdoings.

6. We are entirely ready to allow God to remove all these defects of character.

7. We humbly ask Him to remove our shortcomings.

8. We make a list of all the people we have harmed, and become willing to make amends to them all.

9. We make amends for the pain we've caused these people wherever possible, except when to do so would cause further injury them or others.

10. We continue to take a personal inventory and when we were wrong promptly admit it.

11. We seek through prayer and meditation to improve our conscious contact with God as we understand Him, praying only for knowledge of His will for us and the power to carry that out.

12. Having a spiritual awakening as a result of these steps, we try to carry this message to other addicts, and to practice these principles in all our affairs.

These are the 12 Steps, as quoted from the Narcotics Anonymous Program. The recovered addicts who practice these 12 steps in their daily lives are proof and living examples of how the program works and how it can, and will, save millions of lives in the coming years, as the program continues to grow in Indonesia.

The Narcotics Anonymous program and its adherents request nothing from outsiders, other than occasional help to find a location for the meetings. And NA genuinely and freely gives everything possible to help addicts who are sincerely searching for a path to recovery, and opens a vast and beautiful gateway to help others recover from addiction.

Search around for people who can share their experiences with Narcotics Anonymous. Ask questions. Find an open NA meeting and attend it. Look at the members, listen to how they share their stories of drug addiction and recovery, and experience for yourself how this 12-Step Program of Narcotics Anonymous works.

Then make a decision if you believe Narcotics Anonymous can help you, or a member of your family, or some friend who is having difficulties with drug addiction.

If so, put out your hand and ask for help, a member of Narcotics Anonymous will certainly extend a helping hand back.

The time for Narcotics Anonymous in Indonesia has surely arrived. The doors of NA are always open to anyone seeking recovery or information about drug addiction (as well as information about health). The road to recovery is long and agonizing and nothing comes easily when someone begins the journey to recover from drug addiction. Yet, Narcotics Anonymous and the members of NA know this road and the journey to recovery well.

If you're having problems with drug abuse or addiction, or you know someone who does, call Narcotics Anonymous. One phone call may save your life, or save the life of someone you love.

Narcotics Anonymous works!

One of the contact phone numbers for information on Narcotics Anonymous is 0251 382052.

--David G.