Public Relations Handbook - Narcotics Anonymous

and the members in the group give that newcomer more attention, then the groupmembers would be treating this newcomer differently. Would these members havebehaved the same had the newcomer not been so attractive? Is this attractivenewcomer receiving a certain type of attention that might prevent them fromhearing the NA message? We try to treat all members equally, so everyone has achance at finding the freedom our program offers.In the final analysis, our personal differences make no difference; weare all equal. It’s true that we all come to Narcotics Anonymous withour own personal histories, using patterns, backgrounds, talents, andshortcomings. But for the purpose of our own recovery, ouroccupational identity has no bearing on our ability to care for oneanother in NA. A college degree, a trust fund, illiteracy, poverty–these circumstances that so powerfully affect so many other areas ofour lives will neither help nor hinder our chances at recovery. Likewise,they will not aid or impede our efforts to carry the message, oneaddict to another.It Works: How and WhyThe only requirement for membership is the desire to stop using.Tradition ThreeNarcotics Anonymous is open to anyone seeking freedom from active addictionand our public relations efforts need to support that inclusiveness. Our serviceefforts need to ensure that everyone is welcome in NA—from the householder tothe convict. As our Basic Text says, our service efforts should strive to reach alladdicts “regardless of age, race, sexual identity, creed, religion or lack of religion.”Our Third Tradition also addresses the fact that no one can judge the desire ofanother addict. Desire is personal, eliminating the need for any standards on amember’s desire to stop using.Narcotics Anonymous offers recovery to addicts around the world. Wefocus on the disease of addiction rather than any particular drug. Ourmessage is broad enough to attract addicts from any social class ornationality. When new members come to meetings, our sole interest is intheir desire for freedom from active addiction and how we can be of help.It Works: How and WhyUnity: “Together we can”NA is more attractive when we are able to demonstrate our unity. Our unityshows when we use our diversity as a strength in our meetings and our services.When a group of addicts from different backgrounds and with varying beliefs servestogether, they highlight our unity in a way that is extraordinarily attractive. Whenthinking about our unity in terms of attracting a variety of using addicts, we can askourselves the following questions:October 2006 | PR Handbook | 9