“Nothing works better than an ex addict talking to another”– so says a man who knows. Tommy is speaking from personal experience.

Once a heavy user of drugs, he eventually put an end to his destructive life and found solace in ‘Narcotics Anonymous’, an organisation established over twenty years ago with the aim of offering support and direction to those trapped in the world of drugs. The only qualification needed says Tommy, is the desire to stop using.

This desire and the rapport between its members has earned NA an admirable reputation and as a body, it has achieved more results than many other treatments for drug addicts and their families.

Currently active in over 100 countries including here at home, NA boasts an impressive success rate and uses the original AA plan– the twelve-step abstinence programme.

With up to seven meetings a day, 365 days a year, NA offers support in both a practical and emotional way, for all affected by drug use, whether directly or indirectly. It also tries to enable members to learn from each other’s experiences, how to recover from the effects of addiction in their lives and to live drug-free.

Anyone who suspects or recognises a problem within themselves or their family with regard to substance abuse is invited to attend, whether it be alcohol, hard drugs, solvents or prescription drugs. Recovery is based on addiction, not on the drug itself and patients can be referred to the group through their GP.

Tommy says that the scourge of drugs knows no boundaries and does not discriminate. He has witnessed “everyone from housewives to bank managers” attending meetings. One of the major reasons behind the incredible success of NA meetings is the honesty and support given to one another and the assurance of absolute confidentiality at all times.

Members are invited to share their personal experiences with their group and the relaxed and informal atmosphere in which these sessions take place allow for a stable environment in which to recover.

NA receives no government assistance and is funded by its members. In an effort to maintain daily meetings, the group organises fund-raising events and days out, including retreats, discos, health fairs and conferences. Question and answer sessions and topical discussions take place regularly and NA are accessible to callers at all times, maintaining a crucial twenty-four hour help line.

There are two types of meetings associated with NA– one for addicts themselves and the other for concerned members of the general public. This can prove to be an invaluable source of information and help to parents and teachers who know someone who is showing signs of addiction.

Narcotics Anonymous, 4-5 Eustace Street, Dublin 2. Helpline Number Phone 01 6728000 Email: na@ireland.org, website: www.na.ireland.org