On September 21, 2016, I attended my first Narcotic’s Anonymous (NA) meeting at Cana Lutheran Church. Before attending this meeting, I had some preconceived views on what an ordinary NA meeting might be like. I originally thought of the meeting only as a group of individuals seated in a circle while sharing their feelings. I imagined that these people might be forced to attend the meeting by a spouse or some other influence in their lives. However, I was certainly mistaken. This meeting was much more; in fact, it is an essential part of the recovery process for many. The format of the meeting was extremely organized and much more formal than I anticipated. The meeting opened up with the “we” version of the serenity prayer. Following this …show more content…
One thing I admired about each of the individuals at the meeting was that all of them held their selves accountable to fight their addiction. Each one of these people could have been consumed with something else on that Wednesday night, but instead, they all choose to come together to become a better version of themselves. They stated that if they didn’t attend the meeting that night they would all feel more likely to fall back into their addictions. Many of them reported attending a meeting multiple times a week. Thus, I was impressed when learning how frequent NA meetings are held. One of the members had informed me that some groups will run every night of the week. Therefore, making it hard for someone to come up with an excuse to miss a …show more content…
I understand that this might be helpful to someone who may be attending the meeting for the first time in order to better understand the meeting. However, nearly 20 minutes was used to rehearse this scripted information. I think it would be more beneficial to the meeting attendees if only half that time was spent reading this information and instead, this time, was spent on interaction with each
On November 17th approximately 30 people and I congregated to the OSU College of Nursing to watch The Anonymous People, a documentary film about American’s who are living in long-term recovery from alcohol and other drug addiction. The film addressed the stigma related to alcoholics and drug addicts, including their experiences to the track of recovery. Applicable to what we have discussed in class, I was able to understand more into the healthcare stigma and healthcare disparities that people around us deal with daily. The eye opening video provided an example into the lives of people, famous or not, being mistreated and judged due to their life choices. As a group frequently misunderstood, the film tries to teach the audience to a new view
Narcotics Anonymous is a group that has taught me many values. They have twelve values, twelve traditions, and twelve steps. As a group we learn to accept all of the above for mentioned beliefs. There is what you call a home group. That is your main meeting session with your sponsor, (if you choose to have one which is recommended), sharing time, to talk about whatever you choose i.e. your day, if there was a relapse, a stressful day, and just trying to talk to others who understand every struggle we have on a daily basis to stay clean.
Alcoholism is as prevalent in my family, as blood is in our veins. When previously asked to observe 12-step groups, I ritualistically flocked to Alcoholics Anonymous, without consideration of the possibility that other groups had any potential to make an impact on me. I always pride myself in my ability to identify as an individual that is not ensnared in alcoholism, but unfortunately am an individual that was highly tormented by alcoholism. Through observation of the group and how it processed, as well as identifying how I felt as a new attendee, I was able to understand why self-help, support groups are so vital for individuals in recovery. I finally realized, I too am in recovery.
...e or social group for being an addict if it is not fully understood that they are trying to recover from their addiction (Methadone Cons).
A speaker representing the California Department of Health Care Services requested assistance in providing substance abuse prevention and treatment services. They explained how grave the present situation was, and how they were seeing improvements in the control of substances. The county is reducing the number of opioid related deaths as well as reducing the number of total prescriptions. Police officers were also said to be receiving training on how to handle the invasive and dangerous problems associated with substance users. Unanimous support was again received and the next request was discussed.
She has indirectly experienced addiction through multiple family members, therefore acquiring the ability to care for addicts in her hometown. Adela feels she has a responsibility to attend to those who are in dire need of treatment, especially since there is no longer a treatment center in the area. The local detox attendant makes a devoted effort to “push back against hegemonic sociocultural forces” by redefining care as a component of understanding, compassion and love. With this transformation, heroin addicts gain jurisdiction of their own bodies and a “greater say over the shape of their own subjectivities (Kohrman 2016). Individuals are no longer treated as prisoners of the state, yet as people with an illness. This particular account signifies hope in the Espanola Valley, despite the prevailing constraints that aims to criminalize a marginalized population for their issues. Professor Kohrman restates in his lecture that “hegemony’s victories are never final,” which is due to the presence of “multitude of resistances to ideological domination” (2016). Adela’s means of care resists the power of the clinical gaze, while investing in the health of the local people. Although heroin addiction in New Mexico is still a prevalent issue in today’s society, there seems to be an improvement in the quality of treatment when home detox
It was the late 19th century when a lot of conflict for families from the Industrial Revolution and illegal drugs had easy access to anyone in the United Sates. These illegal drugs like morphine, cocaine, and alcohol were available through manufacture, delivery, and selling. It was proved that the over use of alcohol and violence in families’ homes were linked together around the 1850’s and that women and children were being abused by the father and husband from the letters and journals that were wrote. These were times when women were stay at home mothers and it was the man’s responsibility to be the provider for the wife and children. Because of the abuse in the household it led up to the temperance movement. The purpose
However, rather than treating an addiction like a disease, society treats addiction by stigmatizing the person like a failure, and criminal. Those who suffer with this disease, both the addict, and their friends and family, are usually isolated by judgment and embarrassment from others, who are unaware and ignorant to the issue. As a result, the disease sadly often goes unrecognized and untreated, especially among the poor, and those who are unable to get proper treatment. Once again, I am very happy after attending my second meeting, and it has an overall great experience. I wish more people were open to meetings to see how great and beneficial they are to all kinds of people, and this summer that is my goal to open others up to attending meetings that could help benefit
PO showed up on time and moderately participated in the group activities that include: learning the importance of changing addictive thinking patterns that create painful feelings and self-defeating behaviors; identifying personal addictive thinking; learning healthy whys and strategies to manage and change them. PO demonstrated an understanding of today’s topic as evidenced by identifying and sharing how her distorted thinking has created problems in the past and current life. PO shared in the discussion openly and appropriately, and appears to be in the maintenance stage of change.
Attending an A.A meeting for anyone may be hard. According to, “Psychiatry and Wellness”, “Practically nobody looks forward to going to their first AA meeting.” Alcoholics or recovering addicts may feel the same way I felt when attending their first A.A meeting. Some alcoholics may feel worse than I did. Some alcoholics may feel ashamed to attend an A.A meetings. Some alcoholics may be scared or have fear to go to an A.A meeting because they do not know what to expect. The thought of attending an A.A meeting may be worse than actually attending an A.A
When communities like New Hanover County get government leaders, civic leaders, the DA, police officers, and former addicts in a room, synergy happens and ideas take shape. The county has started creating solutions to the sticky wicked problem of opioid addiction that address the issue at multiple levels and from different avenues. As a result, the area will lose its moniker as the town with the highest rate of opioid addiction and abuse. Instead, a Google search will find the county perched at the top of a “best places to live” list. That will happen because people collaborate, communicate, and attack opioid addiction before the problem
The war on drugs in our culture is a continuous action that is swiftly lessening our society. This has been going on for roughly 10-15 years and has yet to slow down in any way. Drugs continue to be a problem for the obvious reason that certain people abuse them in a way that can lead to ultimate harm on such a person. These drugs do not just consist of street drugs (marijuana, cocaine, ecstasy), but prescription medications as well. Although there are some instances where drugs are being used by subjects excessively, there has been medical research to prove that some of these drugs have made a successful impact on certain disorders and diseases.
Nurses are heroes. Nurses are trusted individuals. We look to nurses to provide patients with not only the proper medical care but also with providing the personal care and support that they need. Sadly even our heroes can fall. When we look at substance abuse we all have preconceived ideas as to what we believe a substance abuser looks like. However the stigma does not always fit the idea of what a substance abusers looks like and what they do. In America alone there are over 300,000 nurses who are suffering from substance abuse. Approximately every one in ten nurses is suffering from substance abuse (Crowley, 2013). This surprising statistic shows the need for change; our nurses are our backbone of our world. The issue of substance abuse
Substance addiction is becoming an epidemic. While some people can quit using a substance without any help, most people need help to their recovery. Narcotics anonymous is an important support group for our society. There are many different narcotic anonymous programs to join that have meetings throughout the week. The members of the support group all share one thing in common, they suffer from different types of chemical dependency. Members help each other because they have the same problems and worries that everyone in the room has. Though they may be struggling with different stages in their life, for the most part, they all relate to what each is going through. Just as AA, NA focuses on the 12-step program. The members of
Narcotics Anonymous (NA) is a nonprofit fellowship or society of men and women for whom drugs have become a major problem in their lives. The meeting, I attended, was on 1/8/15 at 8:00 pm located at Desert Spring Church 2301 Kings Row Reno. There were four members that attended the meeting in the basement of the church. This is a program of complete abstinence from all drugs and the only requirement for its members is to come to meetings and to have the desire to stop using drugs. The members of NA were all users and even the leaders of the group were users too. The leader of the group was a lady (we will call her Sally) and a man (who will be referred to as Jim). Sally was a very interesting lady because you could see how drugs had affected