The 12 steps of Narcotics Anonymous (NA) are a set of guiding principles for recovering from drug addiction. They follow the same structure as the original 12 steps created by Alcoholics Anonymous but replace references to “alcohol” with broader language about “addiction,” making them applicable to anyone struggling with any substance. NA currently holds more than 72,000 weekly meetings in 143 countries.
The 12 Steps of NA
Each step builds on the one before it, moving from acknowledging the problem through spiritual growth and ultimately helping others in recovery.
- Step 1: We admitted that we were powerless over our addiction, that our lives had become unmanageable.
- Step 2: We came to believe that a Power greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity.
- Step 3: We made a decision to turn our will and our lives over to the care of God as we understood Him.
- Step 4: We made a searching and fearless moral inventory of ourselves.
- Step 5: We admitted to God, to ourselves, and to another human being the exact nature of our wrongs.
- Step 6: We were entirely ready to have God remove all these defects of character.
- Step 7: We humbly asked Him to remove our shortcomings.
- Step 8: We made a list of all persons we had harmed, and became willing to make amends to them all.
- Step 9: We made direct amends to such people wherever possible, except when to do so would injure them or others.
- Step 10: We continued to take personal inventory and when we were wrong promptly admitted it.
- Step 11: We sought through prayer and meditation to improve our conscious contact with God as we understood Him, praying only for knowledge of His will for us and the power to carry that out.
- Step 12: Having had a spiritual awakening as a result of these steps, we tried to carry this message to addicts, and to practice these principles in all our affairs.
How NA’s Steps Differ From AA’s
The most important difference is language. Where AA’s first step says “we were powerless over alcohol,” NA says “powerless over our addiction.” This single word change makes the program accessible to people dealing with opioids, stimulants, sedatives, or multiple substances at once. Throughout the steps and in meetings, NA focuses on “addiction” as a whole rather than naming any specific drug. Terms like “sobriety” in AA give way to broader language about recovery and clean time in NA.
This inclusivity is especially useful for people with polysubstance use, meaning those who struggle with more than one drug. Rather than having to choose a fellowship based on their primary substance, they can address the full scope of their addiction in one place.
Why NA Was Created
NA exists because drug addicts were largely unwelcome in Alcoholics Anonymous during the mid-20th century. AA co-founder Bill W. acknowledged the “mutual aversion between alcoholics and drug addicts” and noted that some AA groups had shown “violent opposition” to addicts attending meetings. A 1953 newsletter from an AA group stated bluntly: “All manner and kinds of people are made welcome, the thieves, con-men, crooked gamblers…, but NO DOPE ADDICTS are permitted there.”
In response, Danny C. founded an Addicts Anonymous group in New York City, renaming it Narcotics Anonymous. The first community-based 12-step meetings for drug addicts started in 1950 at a Salvation Army location in Hell’s Kitchen. Then in 1953, Jimmy K. and five others launched an NA group in Van Nuys, California, which became the foundation for the fellowship as it exists today.
How the Steps Work in Practice
The 12 steps are typically divided into three phases. Steps 1 through 3 focus on acceptance: recognizing the problem and becoming open to help. Steps 4 through 9 involve self-examination and repair, including taking an honest inventory of your behavior, sharing it with someone you trust, and making amends to people you’ve harmed. Steps 10 through 12 are about ongoing maintenance and service to others.
Nobody works these steps alone. NA strongly encourages finding a sponsor, an experienced member who guides you through the process one-on-one. Sponsors generally have at least a year of clean time, though character and commitment matter more than a specific timeline. A sponsor’s job is to attend meetings with you, answer questions between meetings, and walk you through each step based on their own experience. They are not therapists or financial advisors. The relationship is built on mutual trust, clear communication, and boundaries both people agree on, such as preferred contact methods and availability.
The phrase “God as we understood Him” appears several times in the steps, which raises questions for people who aren’t religious. NA leaves the definition of a “higher power” entirely to the individual. Some members interpret it as a traditional deity, others as the collective strength of the group, and still others as a sense of purpose larger than themselves. The only requirement for NA membership is a desire to stop using.
What Happens at an NA Meeting
Meetings typically last about an hour and come in two main formats. Discussion meetings let members take turns sharing their experiences, usually limited to about five minutes each. Speaker meetings feature one or two members sharing their story at greater length. A core rule in both formats is “no crosstalk,” meaning members share their own experiences rather than responding to or giving advice to someone else.
If you’re attending for the first time, you’ll be asked to introduce yourself by your first name only. Newcomers are usually welcomed with a handshake or hug and given a welcome keytag, a small token marking the beginning of recovery. Many groups ask members to avoid sharing graphic details about drug use and to focus instead on how addiction and recovery have affected their lives. Meetings often include a short break for refreshments and typically close with members gathering in a circle for a brief reading or prayer.
Newcomers are encouraged to listen more than share at first, though participation is always welcome.
The 12 Traditions
Alongside the 12 steps, NA operates under 12 traditions that govern how groups function. These traditions keep the fellowship decentralized and focused. Every group is autonomous and self-supporting, declining outside donations. NA takes no public stance on outside issues and has no professional leaders; those in service roles are called “trusted servants” rather than authorities. Anonymity is foundational: members maintain personal anonymity in public settings, and the traditions remind everyone to prioritize principles over personalities.
The single requirement for joining any NA group is a desire to stop using. There are no dues, no sign-up forms, and no prerequisites.
Does It Work?
Research on 12-step programs like NA shows measurable benefits, particularly for people who actively participate rather than just attend. Among self-help attendees who engaged actively, 55% initiated abstinence within the following month, compared with 40% of non-attenders and 38% of people who showed up but didn’t participate. Active involvement, not just being in the room, appears to be the key variable.
Consistency matters too. Members who attended at least weekly showed a four-fold reduction in alcohol and drug use and meaningful improvements in social support, according to one longitudinal analysis. On the other hand, the dropout rate at one year was around 40%, and those who dropped out were three times more likely to experience substance use problems compared to those who stayed.
One finding is particularly striking for people who have already been through formal treatment. Among patients who were not abstinent one year after finishing treatment, those who attended 12-step meetings were significantly more likely to be abstinent at the four-year mark than those who didn’t attend (42% versus 29%). The program appears to offer the most benefit to people who are still struggling rather than those who have already stabilized on their own.