Narcotics Anonymous is a support group for people who are addicted (or who have been addicted) to drugs, to help them avoid drug use. It uses a 12-step program modeled on Alcoholics Anonymous.
Meetings are held regularly, and can be either open (when visitors are allowed to join) or closed (only addicts can come). They are usually held in church or community halls.
The group is chaireded by one person, and opens up with the Serenity Prayer. Around the group everyone states their name, and how long they have been clean, people who have used drugs that day are welcome to be in the group, though are not invited to participate.
Various readings are done by participants. The readings are Christian in theme and origin, though a belief in Christianity is not required, with other 'higher powers' being equally as acceptable as a Christian God.
There are several types of meetings. Open discussion, literature study, speaker meetings, etc. In an open discussion meeting the chairperson asks for volunteers, and if there are none the chairperson asks a few members to discuss their life, and how being clean has been going and the problems they've been facing. While this person in talking the rest of the group listens.
The session ends with a Prayer, and a collection box is passed around the group. Part of the ideology of Narcotics Anonymous is that they are addicts helping each other, and donations from visitors are not accepted.
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