- Narcotics Anonymous (NA) is a world-wide organization of recovering addicts who meet regularly within their local communities to help each other live without the use of drugs, referred to as “living clean.”
- Medication Assisted Treatment (MAT) has become a Standard of Care (SOC) for treating addiction, and as such many new and potential NA members needing support receive MAT from outside providers.
- NA recognizes that the path to recovery is not straightforward and varies with each person, and the workshop took a system’s approach by focusing on their goal of service as outlined in the NA Service Vision.
Although there is organizational literature published on this issue, the participants found that members often lack awareness and/or understanding regarding the topic, which can lead to new or potential members feeling ostracized.
The group discussed educating themselves and others about this literature, which includes Bulletin #29, a pamphlet for professionals, and a booklet for groups.
In 2018, the World Service Conference added this as an Issue Discussion Topic (IDT) due to the prevalence of members being confronted by other members and potential members on MAT who receive less then welcome treatment by the organization as a whole.
The World Service Conference adopted a motion charging NA World services with creating a project plan for a new piece of recovery literature for members as it relates to NA and has posted a survey that will be open until November 2022 to gather feedback from people.
As an organization fundamentally built on a program of complete abstinence to treat addiction, NA recognizes that many people who come to NA for help are also receiving MAT from outside providers.
As a result, those on MAT often do not receive the help they need due to a lack of awareness and understanding.
Like many issues, the MAT issue often gets reduced to a pro and anti-dialectic, where people take one side or another with regards to people receiving MAT, and neglect to focus on the real problem and real solution behind the controversy.
By educating the group first on the overall vision and mission of Narcotics Anonymous as a whole, people were able to engage in meaningful discussion to identify the real challenges and issues presented by MAT and discuss practical solutions.
As explained by the workshop facilitators, the primary purpose of the organization is service, to fulfill the mission that every addict experience the message of recovery in their own language and culture; through unity and cooperation, guided by the principles of honesty, trust, goodwill and the reliance of a higher power.
Research, including a 2018 SAMASA report, shows that a major component of successful recovery from addiction is participation in Mutual-Help Organizations, such as NA and other 12-step programs. In 2017, Dr.Shiva Ayyadurai gave a Systems’s Health analysis presentation on the opiod crisis in which Dr.Shiva identified that belonging to a supportive community is a crucial element of successful addiction treatment, along with spiritual connection to a higher power.
Workshop details, including complete PowerPoint Slides and meeting format/notes are available online in multiple languages for the public to review as well as for members seeking to host similar workshops in their communities.
