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A young woman, meticulously dressed and neatly coifed, freely admits she attends 14 Narcotics Anonymous meetings each week ... but she only has to attend two.
“Jane Doe,” a recent graduate of the New Frontier Treatment Center, has been clean for five months with the help of the Good Fellas.
The Good Fellas, one of four local Narcotics Anonymous (NA) groups, will celebrate its second anniversary next week. During the past two years, the group has seen its membership grow from just five members to close to 40 at some events.
“John Doe,” one of the Good Fellas' “trusted servants,” said the group branched from another local group to provide meeting times during the day, and the group now offers meetings seven days a week.
John attends two meetings a day, which may seem excessive to some, but it has helped him maintain his sobriety for five years.
“It's important to pour ourselves into recovery because once we poured ourselves into addiction,” John said.
Jane said she often sees people attend NA meetings solely because the judicial system sent them — people who have not yet hit bottom. She had been to several treatment centers before arriving in Fallon, but the words of treatment didn't sink in. She said it took losing the love of her life before the reality of addiction opened her eyes.
John said he was first sent to NA meetings following a drug arrest and a possible prison sentence. Wanting to avoid prison, John said he was willing to give up drugs for one year but planned to return to his old life after his judicial commitment was filled.
“But I had a moment of clarity ... and I started listening,” John said. “Try us for a year. If you don't like it, we'll refund your misery.”
John, a middle-aged businessman, watched his mother sell drugs from his childhood home. His addictive personality drew him to a life of drugs despite a promising professional career. Only after he found himself stripped of his wealth, material possessions and facing a prison sentence did he seek help from NA.
The NA organization was established in the 1950s as an off-shoot of Alcoholics Anonymous and also features the 12-step program. NA participants complete the 12-steps with a sponsor who has worked the program before. The program also acknowledges a “Higher Power” but does not promote any one religion or deity above others.
Jane said meetings are what one would expect to find: A circle of chairs with one attendee acting as the chairperson who describes the meeting's format and provides the readings. Jane said sometimes a particular topic is a
The Good Fellas offers the following meetings in Fallon:
• Monday through Friday from noon to 1 p.m. at New Frontier Treatment Center, 1490 Grimes St.
• The women's-only group meets Mondays at 7 p.m. upstairs at New Frontier Treatment Center, 1490 Grimes St.
• Wednesday nights for “happy hour” from 7-8 p.m. at the Church of the Nazarene, 1420 Grimes St.
• Saturdays for a breakfast meeting with guest speakers from 10-11 a.m. at the Church of the Nazarene, 1420 Grimes St.
• Sundays from 10-11 a.m. at New Frontier Treatment Center, 1490 Grimes St.
A 24-hour help line is also available for the Sierra Sage Narcotics Anonymous region. Call the help line at (888) 850-2205.
Other local NA groups include Never Alone, Circle of Serenity and Fallon Men in Recovery. For information on meeting times and places for all local NA groups, visit www.sierrasagena.org.
“Jane Doe,” a recent graduate of the New Frontier Treatment Center, has been clean for five months with the help of the Good Fellas.
The Good Fellas, one of four local Narcotics Anonymous (NA) groups, will celebrate its second anniversary next week. During the past two years, the group has seen its membership grow from just five members to close to 40 at some events.
“John Doe,” one of the Good Fellas' “trusted servants,” said the group branched from another local group to provide meeting times during the day, and the group now offers meetings seven days a week.
John attends two meetings a day, which may seem excessive to some, but it has helped him maintain his sobriety for five years.
“It's important to pour ourselves into recovery because once we poured ourselves into addiction,” John said.
Jane said she often sees people attend NA meetings solely because the judicial system sent them — people who have not yet hit bottom. She had been to several treatment centers before arriving in Fallon, but the words of treatment didn't sink in. She said it took losing the love of her life before the reality of addiction opened her eyes.
John said he was first sent to NA meetings following a drug arrest and a possible prison sentence. Wanting to avoid prison, John said he was willing to give up drugs for one year but planned to return to his old life after his judicial commitment was filled.
“But I had a moment of clarity ... and I started listening,” John said. “Try us for a year. If you don't like it, we'll refund your misery.”
John, a middle-aged businessman, watched his mother sell drugs from his childhood home. His addictive personality drew him to a life of drugs despite a promising professional career. Only after he found himself stripped of his wealth, material possessions and facing a prison sentence did he seek help from NA.
The NA organization was established in the 1950s as an off-shoot of Alcoholics Anonymous and also features the 12-step program. NA participants complete the 12-steps with a sponsor who has worked the program before. The program also acknowledges a “Higher Power” but does not promote any one religion or deity above others.
Jane said meetings are what one would expect to find: A circle of chairs with one attendee acting as the chairperson who describes the meeting's format and provides the readings. Jane said sometimes a particular topic is a
The Good Fellas offers the following meetings in Fallon:
• Monday through Friday from noon to 1 p.m. at New Frontier Treatment Center, 1490 Grimes St.
• The women's-only group meets Mondays at 7 p.m. upstairs at New Frontier Treatment Center, 1490 Grimes St.
• Wednesday nights for “happy hour” from 7-8 p.m. at the Church of the Nazarene, 1420 Grimes St.
• Saturdays for a breakfast meeting with guest speakers from 10-11 a.m. at the Church of the Nazarene, 1420 Grimes St.
• Sundays from 10-11 a.m. at New Frontier Treatment Center, 1490 Grimes St.
A 24-hour help line is also available for the Sierra Sage Narcotics Anonymous region. Call the help line at (888) 850-2205.
Other local NA groups include Never Alone, Circle of Serenity and Fallon Men in Recovery. For information on meeting times and places for all local NA groups, visit www.sierrasagena.org.
