12 Agosti

This is a good definition for us in Narcotics Anonymous. Many of our members didn't consider themselves addicts while in active addiction.

Before arriving to N.A., many of us had a different perception of what an addict was. Our Gray Book says, "The term "drug addict" conjured up visions of street crime, fear of the law, and needles. " This wasn't our experience for many of us. Our Literature also says that; everything from the sweet old lady hitting doctors for prescription drugs; to the junkie snatching purses for a fix, were both considered drug addicts, as well.

Although drugs don't make us addicts, it's actually the disease that makes us addicts. However, for Narcotics Anonymous purposes, we needed the identification of our unmanageability and powerlessness of our drug use, to first draw us in. Our identification as addicts come more from a deeper level of feelings and emotions, rather than the type or amount of the drugs used. The apparent symptoms of our disease, after a while, was what was first noticeable.

Some of us were so deep in our denial that a lot of times we were the last to know. Denial help build the walls that imprisoned us mentally.

In Narcotics Anonymous most of us arrive because of the apparent symptoms. These symptoms, which are the drugs themselves, accompanied by our intolerable behaviors toward others is what brings most of us in. After arriving to N.A., we find out we were sick people.

We find out that it was the disease of addiction that made us addicts, the drugs were just a symptom. An addict cannot live with the use of drugs, but more importantly an addict cannot live without the use of drugs either. This is the purpose of N.A. to provide a Spiritual Solution to a Spiritual problem, which is the disease of addiction, and the drug use that is one of the results.

In This Moment: Have we convinced our innermost selves that we are addicts? The idea or belief that we can use drugs safely has to be shattered.