Nar-Anon

What Is Nar-Anon?

Nar-Anon is a worldwide fellowship for relatives and friends of people affected by any type of drug addiction. It offers a place where loved ones can come together, share experiences, and find support amongst people who truly understand what they’re going through. The family’s experience is often understood clinically through the lens of codependency and family systems theory, where addiction impacts the entire family unit.

Nar-Anon isn’t about fixing or controlling someone else’s drug use—it’s about learning healthier ways to respond, setting boundaries, and finding hope for yourself.

Many people turn to Nar-Anon because they struggle with:

• Worrying constantly about a loved one’s drug use and safety.
• Trying to control or “fix” someone else’s behavior.
• Feeling isolated, ashamed, or unable to talk openly about addiction in the family.
• Financial or relationship stress caused by substance use.
• Exhaustion from enabling behaviors or being caught in cycles of conflict.
• Losing focus on their own health and well-being.

How Does Nar-Anon Work?

Nar-Anon works by bringing people together in a safe, supportive setting where they can share openly and learn from one another. The program follows the Twelve Steps (adapted from Alcoholics Anonymous) to help members cope with the impact of addiction on their lives.

At meetings, relatives and friends talk about the difficulties of living with addiction, including fear, anger, confusion, and helplessness. Simply being able to voice these struggles among people who understand can be a huge relief.

Through this fellowship, members learn that they are not alone and that recovery is possible—not by controlling a loved one’s drug use, but by focusing on their own growth, boundaries, and well-being. By connecting with others who have walked the same path, many people find strength, clarity, and a renewed sense of peace.

The 12 Steps of Nar-Anon

Like other 12-Step fellowships, Nar-Anon is built around a set of guiding principles known as the Twelve Steps. These steps offer members a framework for personal growth, acceptance, and recovery while coping with the effects of addiction in their families.

The 12 Steps of Nar-Anon are:

1. We admitted we were powerless over the addict—that our lives had become unmanageable.
2. Came to believe that a Power greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity.
3. Made a decision to turn our will and our lives over to the care of God as we understood Him.
4. Made a searching and fearless moral inventory of ourselves.
5. Admitted to God, to ourselves, and to another human being the exact nature of our wrongs.
6. Were entirely ready to have God remove all these defects of character.
7. Humbly asked Him to remove our shortcomings.
8. Made a list of all persons we had harmed and became willing to make amends to them all.
9. Made direct amends to such people wherever possible, except when to do so would injure them or others.
10. Continued to take personal inventory and when we were wrong promptly admitted it.
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.
12. Having had a spiritual awakening as the result of these Steps, we tried to carry this message to others, and to practice these principles in all our affairs.

Nar-Anon vs. Narcotics Anonymous

It’s important to understand the difference between these two related but separate fellowships:

• Narcotics Anonymous (NA) is for the person with the drug addiction problem.
• Nar-Anon is for their family members, spouses, partners, and friends.

While both programs use the Twelve Steps and offer mutual support, they serve different groups of people who have been affected by addiction in different ways.

Who Can Join Nar-Anon?

Nar-Anon is open to anyone affected by someone else’s drug use. Membership is not limited to parents or spouses—siblings, children, extended family, and friends are all welcome. The only requirement is a desire to find support and healthier ways of coping.

You don’t have to wait for your loved one to seek treatment before coming to a meeting. Nar-Anon focuses on your well-being, giving you the tools to set boundaries, reduce stress, and find peace even in difficult circumstances. Anonymity is a key principle, so you can feel safe sharing openly.

Finding a Nar-Anon Meeting

Nar-Anon meetings take place around the world in person, online, and by phone. Meetings are free, and newcomers are welcome at any time. Some people choose to listen at first, while others share right away—there’s no pressure to participate until you feel ready.

To find a meeting, visit the official Nar-Anon website and use the meeting search tool. You can browse by location, day, or format to find a group that fits your schedule.

Find Addiction Treatment and Support

Loving someone with a drug addiction is incredibly difficult, and you don’t have to navigate it alone. If your loved one is ready for help, or if you need support for yourself, effective and confidential options are available. Call the free SAMHSA National Helpline at 1-800-662-4357 to learn about treatment options. Our Find Treatment Help page has additional resources to help you take the next step.

Written by

Jessica Miller

Editorial Director

Jessica Miller is the Editorial Director of Addiction Help. Jessica graduated from the University of South Florida (USF) with an English degree and combines her writing expertise and passion for helping others to deliver reliable information to those impacted by addiction. Informed by her personal journey to recovery and support of loved ones in sobriety, Jessica's empathetic and authentic approach resonates deeply with the Addiction Help community.

Reviewed by

• Fact-Checked
• Editor

Kent S. Hoffman, D.O.

Co-Founder & Chief Medical Officer

Kent S. Hoffman, D.O. has been an expert in addiction medicine for more than 15 years. In addition to managing a successful family medical practice, Dr. Hoffman is board certified in addiction medicine by the American Osteopathic Academy of Addiction Medicine (AOAAM). Dr. Hoffman has successfully treated hundreds of patients battling addiction. Dr. Hoffman is the Co-Founder and Chief Medical Officer of AddictionHelp.com and ensures the website’s medical content and messaging quality.