Manali: A two day convention celebrating the recovery from active drug addiction under the theme ‘Freedom To Fly’ held by Society of Service of Narcotics Anonymous ( SOSONA) concluded here on Friday.
Conducted by the 5th Chandigarh Area Convention of Narcotics Anonymous (NACCA 5), about 500 Narcotics Anonymous (NA) members from Chandigarh, Punjab, Delhi, Orissa, Kolkata, Sikkim, Mumbai, Chennai, Pune & other cities of India participated in it.
Speaking to Hill Post, Tandi president Chandigarh regions said, “NA is non-profit worldwide fellowship of men women for whom drugs had become a major problem.”
“This program is about complete abstinence from all drugs. Our fellowship is concerned with the disease of addiction and recovery from it: the drug of choice is unimportant,” he said.
He disclosed that their only requirement for membership was a strong desire to stop using drugs.
Speaking at the convention Goldy, secretary NA said, “we are recovering addicts who meet regularly to help each other stay clean.”
“Our program is a set of principles written so simply that we can follow them in our daily lives. The most important thing about them is that they work. We suggest that you keep an open mind and give yourself a break.,” he added.
The Society of Service of Narcotics Anonymous ( SOSONA) message is that an addict, any addict, can stop using drugs, lose the desire to use and find a new way to live, said Goldy.
“Drugs had such a strong hold on me that even when I was working in a neonatal care unit, I could work only after there were drugs in my system,” Dr Ashish (not the real name) a medical practitioner disclosed to Hill Post. “I didn’t mean to harm the children but it had become impossible for me to stay without drugs.”
As a member of Society of Indian Regional Service Narcotics Anonymous (SIRSCONA), India’s chapter of Narcotics Anonymous (NA) he is recovering from the addiction that had taken hold of his life and work
Narcotics Anonymous (NA) is a not for profit organisation that sprang out from the Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) program of late 1940s to light a path of recovery from the horrors of drug addiction.
NA started in July 1953 with its first meeting in southern California, said Goldy. Within a few years NA had established itself in Brazil, Colombia, Germany, India, the Irish republic, Japan, New Zealand and the United Kingdom.
NA books and information is available in 76 languages including Hindi, Bengali, Punjabi, Urdu and Nepali. Goldy claimed that today there are more than 62977 weekly meetings being held in over 130 countries to fight drug addiction globally.
Goldy said, “a NA fellowship does not cost a person anything as there are no membership fees, nor do they use medicines for treatment. NA only expects ‘honesty, willingness, open-mindedness and hope’ from its members. We rely on mutual support and sharing of experiences. I had no money in my pocket when I attended the first meet. I was given tea and a hug and I was asked to return even if I was on drugs. That helped,”.
Sanjay Dutta, an engineer by qualification but is a journalist by choice.
He has worked for the premier new agency Press Trust of India and leading English daily Indian Express.
With more than a decade of experience, he has been highlighting issues related to environment, tourism and other aspects affecting mountain ecology.
Sanjay Dutta lives in a village close to Manali in Kullu valley of Himachal.
GREAT…. KEEP GOING… WE ARE WITH YOU