National Methadone ClinicsMedication and Support Meetings
If you take methadone or buprenorphine (such as Suboxone) for opioid use disorder, you can go to support meetings. Medication taken as prescribed is a treatment, and many people in recovery use it.
SMART Recovery states that it supports legally prescribed addiction medication and welcomes people who use it at its meetings.
Twelve-step groups such as A.A. and N.A. are run by their own members, and each group sets its own customs, so how a meeting talks about medication can differ from one group to the next.
- Before you go, ask the local intergroup, service office or group contact how the meeting views medication.
- Look for meetings described as medication-friendly or MAT-friendly. Some areas and online meeting lists use these labels.
- Try a few different meetings. If one does not feel right, another may.
- You do not have to tell anyone at a meeting about your medication.
Talk to Your Prescriber
Never stop, lower or change a medication because of something said at a meeting. Talk to your prescriber first. This is general information, not medical advice.
If a Court Requires Meetings
Courts, probation and diversion programs in North Carolina and elsewhere may set a number of meetings to attend. The rules come from your case, not from the groups.
Twelve-step groups such as A.A. and N.A. keep no attendance records for courts. Some meeting chairs will sign a sheet you provide; others decline, and online groups each have their own approach.
- Get the requirement in writing: which groups qualify, how many meetings and the deadline.
- Confirm the form of proof your officer accepts before you start.
- Carry your own attendance sheet and keep a copy of each signed page.
- Ask your officer what to do if a group will not sign.
Not Legal Advice
Only your court or probation officer can tell you whether a meeting counts toward your requirement.
Support Groups at a Glance
Medication for opioid use disorder and support meetings can work side by side. This page covers how to find a meeting in North Carolina where you feel at ease while taking methadone or buprenorphine.
Whichever group you try first, you can switch, or attend more than one.
- SMART Recovery takes a non-spiritual approach, with discussion-based meetings built around self-management tools; it covers alcohol, drugs and addictive behaviors.
- N.A. focuses on addiction to any drug rather than one substance, using the same twelve-step structure as A.A.
- Nar-Anon does for families of people using drugs what Al-Anon does for families affected by drinking.
- A.A. serves people with a drinking problem through twelve steps and peer sharing; the only requirement is a wish to stop drinking.
- Al-Anon is for the family side of a drinking problem: relatives and friends meet to share how it affects them, using twelve steps.
- Recovery Dharma meetings combine meditation with sharing and are open to people with any addiction.
- Refuge Recovery meetings center on mindfulness and meditation as tools for recovery.
- Celebrate Recovery offers a faith-based, Christ-centered path and meets in local churches.
Where to Look Up Meetings in North Carolina
Peer support groups and mutual-aid programs run their own meetings. The links below go to each organization's official pages for North Carolina, where you can search for meetings. We do not list, copy or vouch for individual meetings.
Alcoholics Anonymous
A peer fellowship for people who want to stop drinking.
Narcotics Anonymous
A peer fellowship for people who want to stop using drugs.
SMART Recovery
A science-informed, self-empowering program with in-person and online meetings.
Al-Anon Family Groups
A peer fellowship for relatives and friends of people with a drinking problem.
Nar-Anon Family Groups
A peer fellowship for relatives and friends of people with a drug problem.
Recovery Dharma
A peer-led program that draws on Buddhist practices and principles.
Refuge Recovery
A mindfulness-based recovery community that draws on Buddhist practices.
Celebrate Recovery
A Christ-centered recovery program run through local churches.
National Methadone Clinics is an independent directory. It is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by Alcoholics Anonymous World Services, Narcotics Anonymous World Services, SMART Recovery, Al-Anon Family Group Headquarters, Nar-Anon Family Groups, Recovery Dharma, Refuge Recovery World Services, Celebrate Recovery, or any other fellowship or support organisation named on this page, and none of them has reviewed or approved this page. Each link goes to the organisation's own official page, which controls its meeting information. Meetings move, close and change, so confirm the time and place with the source before you go. Links in this section are editorial. They are not paid, sponsored or referral placements, and no treatment provider can pay to be added to or reordered within this section. Support meetings are not a substitute for professional treatment.
If you or someone else is in crisis, call or text 988 (Suicide & Crisis Lifeline). For treatment referral and information, SAMHSA's National Helpline is 1-800-662-4357, free, confidential and open 24 hours a day.
What Happens at a Meeting
Most meetings last about an hour. Someone opens the meeting, there may be a short reading, and then people take turns sharing or a speaker talks.
Meeting finders usually say whether a meeting is open to anyone or closed to people who want to stop drinking or using themselves.
Video and phone meetings follow a similar pattern and can be a low-pressure way to see what a meeting is like.
- Listening without sharing is common, especially at first.
- First names only is the norm.
- There are no dues or fees; any collection is voluntary.
- It is fine to slip in quietly and leave when you need to.
Combining Meetings and Treatment
Treatment and peer support do different jobs. Treatment deals with the medical and psychological side of addiction; meetings offer ongoing contact with others in recovery.
A provider can say which kind of care fits, from outpatient visits to residential programs, and most programs encourage meetings as well.
You can browse the methadone clinics this site lists in North Carolina below, or call the number on this page to go over options.
This number connects to our central helpline, not directly to a listed facility.
Search and Map Facilities in North Carolina
Press Search to list facilities in North Carolina, or type a city or ZIP code.
Listed Methadone Clinics in North Carolina
These cities in North Carolina have facilities listed on this site.
Support Meeting FAQs for North Carolina
Do I need to stop my medication to attend?
No. Meetings do not ask you to stop a prescribed medication. Any change should be decided with your prescriber, not at a meeting.
Do online meetings count for a court order?
That depends on your court or probation officer. Check with them, and ask how an online meeting can be verified.
How do I know if a meeting is open?
Meeting finders usually label each meeting as open or closed. Open meetings welcome visitors; closed meetings are for people who want to stop drinking or using themselves.
Where can relatives get support?
Family groups such as Al-Anon and Nar-Anon meet in person and online, and open twelve-step meetings also welcome visitors.
What if there is no meeting near me in North Carolina?
Online and phone meetings are an option wherever you live in North Carolina; the finders on this page include them.
Do I need to pay or sign up?
No payment is needed, and most meetings need no sign-up. You can simply show up or log in.