One of the most fundamental principles of recovery from substance abuse and dependency is that you do not have to do it on your own. In fact, it has been shown through years of work in the field by both people working toward sobriety and the scientists who study them that peer support and group therapy is one of the most powerful tools for reaching and maintaining sobriety.
As a result, a core aspect of many addiction recovery programs in Euclid and surrounding areas is finding a meeting run by Alcoholics Anonymous, also known as AA, or Narcotics Anonymous, more commonly abbreviated as NA. They are designed to offer the support needed and to be a wellspring of knowledge to draw from for people on the path to sobriety. However, finding the right meeting for you is slightly more involved than just finding one held nearby.
AA Meetings In Euclid, Ohio
AA is a direct response to the failures in substance abuse treatment to the point of its founding in 1935. Alcohol abuse was widely written off, seen as a medical or moral failing, and if somebody struggling with alcohol dependency was not reasonably affluent and of a specific social standing, they were essentially left to themselves.
AA pushed back against this first by designing a non-judgmental structure, its famous twelve-step program. The twelve steps were designed to be achievable by anyone and were designed to be widely shared and adaptable. It was built to be an organization that draws leadership and guidance from the community and its members, not a top-down order. It did not require any degree of education to join a group or even become a leader of a group. Instead of paying a membership fee, members of the group are expected to be open-minded, to listen to each other with respect, and to use that open mind and respect to cultivate self-awareness and work through the twelve steps.
A substance abuse counselor may run an AA group with the goal of allowing members to open up about issues beyond their substance abuse, or a pastor may run an AA group to offer psychological support for community members. This means there are many AA meetings, with many different approaches from which to choose.
Finding AA Meeting Near Me
Finding an AA meeting begins with thinking about what will make you most comfortable and most willing to discuss your personal circumstances with a group. There are many different approaches to AA, right down to seemingly inconsequential matters such as smoking. Some groups are completely non-smoking due to either concern about nicotine addiction, or just the simple matter that there is no place to smoke anywhere near the building where the meeting is held.
Practical concerns should also be considered. Can you attend the meeting at the times given? Is the meeting accessible? Is the meeting held in a place you are comfortable visiting? You should also look at any available literature about the meeting and, if possible, take a moment to contact the leadership of a meeting. It is also common to attend a meeting to get a feel for it, sometimes called “auditioning” a meeting.
Bethlehem Lutheran Church
24490 Euclid Ave.
Euclid, OH 44117
Boulevard Presbyterian Church
24600 Lake Shore Blvd.
Euclid, OH 44123
You can find more meeting locations in Euclid on the Alcoholics Anonymous website.
NA Meetings In Euclid, Ohio
NA has a different focus from AA, due in part to the different legal status of narcotics compared to alcohol. Alcohol is far less legally regulated and far more socially acceptable to consume than most narcotics, even legal ones that can be prescribed by a doctor. This mix of factors meant that while people struggling with drug addiction were seeking the help of AA more and more, AA was not able to help address all their concerns.
Thus NA grew out of AA and shares many similarities and characteristics with its sister organization. NA meetings are organized around the twelve-step structure and have similar expectations of respect, open-mindedness, group support, and self-improvement. They also vary widely in approach and technique depending on both leadership and membership. One very important difference is that you can find an NA meeting focused on a specific substance if that will work, or a more general group if that would make you more comfortable.
Finding NA Meetings Near Me
Just like AA, NA meetings will have literature available for you to consult about the meeting, leadership you can discuss your needs with, and other material you can use to examine different groups. Speaking with leadership and working out what you need is highly encouraged, and if you are working with a substance abuse counselor, he or she may be able to help you figure out which kind of meeting would be most useful.
East Shore Methodist Church
23002 Lakeshore Blvd.
Euclid, OH 44123
Church of the Epiphany
21000 Lakeshore Blvd.
Euclid, OH 44123
You can find additional NA meetings in Euclid on the Narcotics Anonymous website.
Peer support can help you achieve sobriety and also help you stay there. Finding and consistently attending a meeting will give you the help you most deserve. For more information about AA and NA meetings and other addiction treatment resources in the Euclid area, reach out to The Recovery Village today.