InnerAscent
A first NA meeting is a room of people who are there to stay clean. Formats differ by group. The reliable description of the program is on na.org. This page is etiquette and expectations, not an official script, and it does not copy fellowship readings.
InnerAscent is not the meeting. If you are in immediate danger, contact local emergency services.
Before you walk in
You can arrive a few minutes early. You can sit near the door. You do not have to speak. You do not have to give your real name; many people use a first name only. You do not have to identify as an addict until you choose to.
Look up a listing yourself. Groups publish their own times. The InnerAscent app can show nearby NA listings when you allow location, and you can deny location and still use the rest of the app. How that lookup works is in finding meetings near you. This website does not run a second meeting database.
A typical shape
Many meetings include some of these, in an order the group chooses:
- A chairperson opens the meeting and reads a short format.
- People introduce themselves by a first name if they want to.
- Someone shares their experience. Cross-talk — interrupting to fix another person — is usually discouraged.
- A break or a collection basket. Giving money is optional.
- A closing. You can leave before it if you need to.
Phone lists and “would you like a call?” are offers. You can say no. How to find a sponsor is a later decision, not a requirement of your first meeting.
After the meeting
Write one sentence about what you heard. Log that you attended if you want a private count. In the app, “I attended a meeting” saves a self-reported log. It is not a verified check-in. A reminder for a meeting you saved is sent about one hour before, when notifications are on.
If the meeting felt wrong, try another group. One room is not the whole fellowship.
A private clean-time count is on the clean time calculator. Writing starters are on recovery journal prompts.
Step work still starts with honesty. Step 1 explained and the 12 Steps explained are the reading path on this site. Official Step language for AA is on aa.org if that is your program.
Continue with the practice, not a feed
There is no public recovery feed. Notes stay yours unless you opt in to share a specific note with a sponsor. Android is on Google Play. Alert me when Apple is coming out. Privacy details are in the privacy policy.