The Reading Was About Alcohol

You came because of drugs and the reading was about drinking. NA asks for a desire to stop using. An open A.A. meeting can still let you listen.

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Key takeaway

The reading is about the first drink, and your problem came through a different door. A.A. membership is a desire to stop drinking. NA membership is a desire to stop using. You can listen at an open A.A. meeting, or go find NA. You can try both and keep the room that fits.

Last updated: Tue Oct 06 2026 00:00:00 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

They started reading and every line was about a drink. Your story starts with a bag, a pill, a pipe, something the reading never names. You feel like you lied your way into the chair. You also do not want to walk back out into the night that brought you here.

You can listen if this meeting is open. You can also go find the room that was built for what you used.

Two membership sentences

A.A.'s Tradition Three says the only requirement for membership is a desire to stop drinking. NA's newcomer pamphlet says the only requirement is a desire to stop using. Those are different sentences. Side by side is the longer page. The drug is not alcohol is the feeling of being mistranslated.

Open A.A. meetings are available to anyone interested in the program. Nonalcoholics may attend as observers. Closed meetings are for people with a drinking problem and a desire to stop. If you are not sure which door you used, ask, or step into the hall and read the sign. You can listen either way if you belong in that format. There are no dues or fees in A.A.

You do not have to pretend the reading was about you in order to stay safe for an hour. You also do not have to force A.A. to be NA.

Find the other finder

NA World Services points people to its own search. Use the in-person search and the virtual search. The NA guide on this site and online NA will help. The meetings search here covers both fellowships in one box, and the listings are not verified, so confirm the time.

If the parking lot is calling, do not go argue with it. Dial a virtual meeting. If you are overdosing or someone with you is, call 911. If you want to hurt yourself, call or text 988.

NIDA says mutual-help groups are not a substitute for treatment. FindTreatment.gov lists programs. Call (800) 653-9376 for help finding treatment. The call is free to you. Treatment providers pay for the referral. The line is not A.A., it is not NA, and it is not SMART Recovery.

Pick the sentence that matches tonight

If you need to stop using, look up NA and get in a meeting, virtual if that is what is open. If you also need to stop drinking, A.A. can be part of the week. You can try both. Leave the one that makes you lie about why you came.

Additional Resources

Sources cited on this page:

Common Questions

Am I in the wrong fellowship?

A.A. says the only requirement for membership is a desire to stop drinking. NA's newcomer pamphlet says the only requirement is a desire to stop using. If alcohol is not the problem that brought you, NA is the fellowship built for drug use. You can still sit in an open A.A. meeting as someone interested in the program.

What is an open A.A. meeting?

Open meetings are available to anyone interested in A.A.'s program. Closed meetings are for people with a drinking problem and a desire to stop. If you are not sure which one you are in, ask or step out. You can listen. Introducing yourself is not mandatory.

Where do I find NA tonight?

Use the NA meeting search and the virtual meeting search on na.org. The meetings search on this site is another place to look, and those listings are not verified, so confirm the time. You can try A.A. and NA and keep the room that fits.

What if I want to use right now?

Get out of the parking lot of the old place. Call someone, or join a virtual NA meeting. If you are in immediate medical danger, call 911. If you want to hurt yourself, call or text 988. NIDA says mutual-help groups are not a substitute for treatment.