Recovery from addiction can be arduous and demanding, but having a support network can make it much more manageable. That’s why AA and NA meetings are integral to addiction recovery. These meetings provide a welcoming and supportive environment where individuals can share their experiences, seek guidance, and receive support from others on the same journey. If you want to connect with others in Denver working towards sobriety, attending AA and NA meetings can be a great starting point.

This article will explore finding a great AA NA in Denver. We’ll start by defining what AA and NA meetings are, how they differ, and their benefits.

At AspenRidge Recovery, a leading rehab center in Denver, we understand the challenges of alcohol addiction and the need for effective treatment. Our rehab programs are designed to cater to the unique needs of each individual, ensuring that they receive the care and attention necessary for a successful recovery.

What are AA and NA meetings?

AA and NA meetings are support groups that provide a safe and supportive space for individuals recovering from alcohol and drug addiction, respectively. These meetings follow a similar structure and are typically free to attend. They are open to anyone who wishes to attend, regardless of their background or level of addiction.

AA meetings focus on helping members achieve and maintain sobriety through the Twelve Steps, a spiritual program of action. The Twelve Steps are a set of guiding principles that are intended to help individuals overcome their addiction by admitting their powerlessness over alcohol, seeking guidance from a higher power, making amends for past wrongs, and helping others who are struggling with addiction.

NA meetings use a similar approach but focus specifically on addiction to narcotics. Members of NA follow the Twelve Steps but adapt them to their own experiences with drug addiction. In AA and NA meetings, attendees are encouraged to share their stories, ask questions, and support others.

These meetings are led by members who share their experience, strength, and hope with the group. The leader may also read from AA or NA literature to spark discussion and provide guidance. Meetings are held in various locations, such as community centers, churches, and other public spaces. They can be found throughout Denver and the surrounding areas.

Attending AA and NA meetings can be valuable in maintaining sobriety and finding support. By sharing experiences and learning from others, individuals can build a strong support network to help them stay sober and navigate the challenges of addiction recovery.

How to Find The Best NA or AA Meetings in Denver, CO

If you have a problem with alcohol or drugs and you’re seeking a solution, our hats are off to you. Addiction to any toxic substance can create insanity and lead to unmanageability (not to mention cause a fatal overdose). It takes great strength and courage to face your problem and take action. We’re glad you’re here looking for information about AA meetings in Denver. If you want to learn about Denver NA meetings, we can help with that too. 

We completely understand if you don’t think you need rehab – or you’re just not ready to make that kind of commitment. Going to a 12-Step program is an awesome way to kickstart your recovery journey. If you cannot avoid alcohol or drugs after attending meetings, you can always revisit the idea of going for addiction treatment later.

This article will talk extensively about Alcoholics Anonymous and Narcotics Anonymous in Denver. However, we want you to know that you can attend several other 12-Step programs in the area. These include:

• Colorado Marijuana Anonymous
• Heroin Anonymous
• Crystal Meth Anonymous Denver
• Cocaine Anonymous of Colorado  

Going to a 12-Step program in Denver is all about finding a place where you feel comfortable finding freedom in your life and connecting with other recovering people. The decision of where you choose to go is completely up to you. AA and NA are the most popular programs. Let’s talk about these two.  

Alcoholics Anonymous in Denver Vs. Narcotics Anonymous – What’s the Difference?

AA and NA have much in common, but some notable differences are worth mentioning. Many people seeking recovery need clarification about which fellowship is best for them. We hope we can help you decide.  

Keep in mind that both of these programs center around the 12 Steps. You work these steps with a sponsor. You find a sponsor at the meetings you attend. You will learn more about how this works when you actually start going to meetings. You should attend a meeting every day for 90 days. This allows you to get to know people and establishes a routine that helps you stay sober.

The major difference between AA and NA is the first step:

Alcoholics Anonymous Step 1: We admitted we were powerless over alcohol, that are lives had become unmanageable.

Narcotics Anonymous Step 1: We admitted that we were powerless over our addiction and that our lives had become unmanageable.

The rest of the 12 Steps are exactly the same. Here they are:

Step 2: Came to believe that a Power greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity.

Step 3: Make a decision to turn our will and lives over to God’s care as we understand Him.

Step 4: Make a searching and fearless moral inventory of ourselves.

Step 5: Admitted to God, ourselves, and another human being the exact nature of our wrongs.

Step 6: Were entirely ready to have God remove all these defects of character.

Step 7: Humbly asked Him to remove our shortcomings.

Step 8: Made a list of all persons we had harmed, and became willing to make amends to them all.

Step 9: Made direct amends to such people wherever possible, except when to do so would injure them or others.

Step 10: Continued to take personal inventory and when we were wrong promptly admitted it.

Step 11: Sought through prayer and meditation to improve our conscious contact with God, as we understood Him, praying only for knowledge of His will for us and the power to carry that out.

Step 12: Having had a spiritual awakening as the result of these Steps, we tried to carry this message to alcoholics, and to practice these principles in all our affairs.

AA and NA encourage people to believe in their own higher power. If you do not believe in God, that is okay! Please don’t be scared off by the word “God” if you are not a believer. These are spiritual NOT religious programs. Many people who attend AA or NA in Denver do not believe in God. They make their higher power the group, nature, or something else outside of themselves.

If you are religious, that is okay! You can believe in Jesus, Buddha, or Krishna or any other deity when you attend a 12-Step program in Denver. You will not be persuaded to change your beliefs.

There is a very good reason why the 12 Steps are so highly recommended as a way to recover from addiction. It’s because they really work. However, not all AA or NA meeting groups in Denver have a really strong focus in this area. They may mention the 12 Steps, but they tend to gloss over them rather than rely on them for recovery instruction.

If you come across meetings that don’t have a strong focus on the 12 Steps, it’s best for you to keep searching. Working these steps will allow you to reflect on the decisions you’ve made. It will also give you the courage to seek out positive changes for your own life.

Another Difference Between Denver AA and NA

Another important difference between these two programs is the literature studied. AA refers to the Big Book of Alcoholics Anonymous. This was written in 1939 by founders Bill Wilson, Dr. Bob Silkworth, and more than 100 contributing members of early AA.

Narcotics Anonymous studies The Basic Text of Narcotics Anonymous. It as written by NA founder Jimmy Kinnon and hundreds of other recovering addicts. The first edition was published in 1983.

If you don’t know whether you should go to NA or AA meetings in Denver, it might be a good idea for you to check out these books (the links we have provided give you the complete text). Read over the material. See which one speaks to you. Do you relate more to one than the other? If so, that might tell you which program would be more beneficial to you. These books are referred to repeatedly in meetings and they are the basis of each program.

Are You An Alcoholic or An Addict?

If you attend Alcoholics Anonymous meetings in Denver, you will mostly be surrounded by people who have overcome alcoholism. While some of the members of this fellowship also had a problem with drug addiction, alcohol was their number one problem. Members of AA admit powerlessness over alcohol. The program has been around since 1935. A lot of members have more than 30 years of sobriety.

NA meetings in Denver are for people who have had a problem with alcohol AND drugs. They do not admit powerlessness over one particular substance. They admit powerlessness over the disease of addiction. In this fellowship, people address their addiction to mind-altering substances, but they also work on their addictions to sex, food, gambling, and other manifestations of the disease. NA was founded in 1953. While many members do have long-term recovery, it is not as common as it is in AA.

Remember, you can always check out both programs and see which one feels right for you. Don’t overwhelm yourself with worrying about whether you should go to Alcoholics Anonymous or Narcotics Anonymous. Just go somewhere! Get help! Find support! You don’t have to do this alone – and, truth be told, you can’t. (If you could stop drinking or abusing drugs, you would have been able to snap out of it by now! You need the support of other recovering people).

Finding The Right 12-Step Meetings in Denver, CO

Whether you’re in need of NA or AA in Denver, not all 12-Step meetings are the same. You’re going to find that each meeting you try has its own culture. For example, some meetings attract older members. Some are for newcomers like you. Others are mostly men or mostly women. You may feel more comfortable in some meetings than others.  

If you choose a Denver NA or AA meeting and it doesn’t seem to be working for you, don’t be afraid to keep looking for one that will. Eventually, you’ll find one with people you can relate to and who encourage and empower you to continue on in your recovery. There are meetings all day every day all over the city.

To make it easy for you to find AA meetings or NA meetings in Denver, we have provided some of the best meeting info for both programs.

What To Expect From AA Meetings In Denver

AA and NA meetings are structured very much the same way. At the beginning of every meeting, members read from certain pieces of literature. The same readings are read at every meeting.

The chairperson will ask if anyone is attending their very first meeting ever. If you would like to share that it is your first meeting, you will be given some helpful literature and a list of members’ phone numbers to call to help you stay sober. This is not done to embarrass you or put you on the spot, but to help you get to know people in the group.

Meetings usually last from an hour to 90 minutes. Each person is given the opportunity to share for about five minutes if they want to. You DO NOT have to share at an AA or NA meeting in Denver if you do not want to.

The purpose of any 12-Step meeting is for recovering people to share their experience, strength, and hope with one another to help each other stay sober one more day. You will be given suggestions from people who share what has worked for them. You will not be told what to do. You will not be singled out. You will feel welcomed.

While it can be scary to attending your first 12-Step meeting, just remember that everyone who enjoys recovery attended their first meeting at some point in the past. They understand how it feels to be nervous and confused about the program. They are there to help you.

Finding the Best AA Meetings in Denver, CO

Denver AA is organized by the Denver Area Central Committee of Alcoholics Anonymous. You will learn more about the way this fellowship is organized once you start attending. There are no leaders, only trusted servants and they do not govern.

Denver Alcoholics Anonymous is a very active fellowship. There are meetings happening all day every day in the Mile High area, as well as surrounding areas. To find the best meetings, you will have to go and check them out for yourself. It is a process of trial and error. 

It is recommended that you get a “home group.” This is a group that you will attend regularly to forge new, positive relationships with other people in the program. They will get to know you and you will get to know them. This will help you stay accountable to your sobriety. Many people pick a home group that is located near their home for the sake of convenience.

Want to go to an AA meeting in Denver? Here is a complete schedule.  

You can also perform a search to find a meeting near you.

The Best NA Meetings in Denver

NA has a very intricate organizational structure. It is a nonprofit organization that offers meetings worldwide in a number of different languages. You will learn more about the innerworkings of this program once you start attending. What you should know is that the entire program is run by people who volunteer their time. There are no leaders or followers in NA. Every voice is given equal importance.   

To keep things simple, for now all you need to know is that Narcotics Anonymous Colorado is the area to which the Mile High Service Committee belongs. You can go to either of these sites to get additional information or find a meeting near you.

There are Narcotics Anonymous meetings in Denver every day. We have a list below of some of our favorite meetings. We are also including a key to tell you what the abbreviations mean. All meetings are non-smoking.

AspenRidge Recovery’s Approach to Treatment

Rehab is a critical step toward achieving long-term sobriety for individuals struggling with alcohol addiction. Through therapies, medication-assisted treatment, and a supportive environment, rehab can provide individuals with the tools and resources to overcome their addiction and build a fulfilling life in recovery.

At AspenRidge Recovery, we understand the importance of rehab for alcoholics. We are committed to helping our clients achieve lasting recovery. Our evidence-based approach, compassionate staff, and welcoming environment provide a supportive foundation for individuals to begin their journey towards a better life.

The Joint Commission also certifies our center, and our licensed counselors are trained, specifically, in substance misuse and addiction. We offer the following programs:

• Day Program Day Program
• Day 5-Day IOP
• Intensive Outpatient Program
• Outpatient Program

We can help guide you through the different stages of alcohol rehab and next steps. It’s also critical to understand that treatment is different for everyone and, therefore, a tailored treatment approach is important. Contact us today for more information about Colorado alcohol rehabilitation at 855-281-5588.