Support Meetings

Medication and Support Meetings in New Hampshire

You can go to support meetings while you take methadone or buprenorphine. Here is how to find one in New Hampshire where you feel at ease.

Call (888) 209-0266

Medication 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.

Attendance Slips and Court Requirements

Some people come to meetings because a judge or probation officer requires it. That is common, and open meetings welcome them like anyone else.

Signing an attendance slip is up to each group and whoever leads the meeting. Twelve-step groups have no link to the court system.

  • Find out exactly what your order or program asks for.
  • Check whether online meetings count and how they can be verified.
  • Keep your own log of dates, times and meeting names.
  • Raise any problem with proof of attendance with your officer early.

Your Requirements

This page cannot give legal advice. Follow the instructions of your court or probation officer.

How the Groups Differ

People on medication treatment sometimes wonder whether meetings are for them. They are, and New Hampshire has several kinds to choose from. The comparison below says who each group serves.

Groups differ in style as well as approach, so trying more than one is common.

  • SMART Recovery is a secular program for any addiction. Meetings teach practical tools for managing urges and changing habits, and it also runs Family & Friends meetings.
  • Narcotics Anonymous (N.A.) is a twelve-step fellowship for people who want to stop using any drug, alcohol included. Like A.A., it has a spiritual basis.
  • Nar-Anon Family Groups support people whose relative or friend uses drugs, in a twelve-step format.
  • Alcoholics Anonymous (A.A.) is a twelve-step fellowship for anyone who wants to stop drinking. It is spiritual rather than religious, and members define a higher power in their own way.
  • Al-Anon Family Groups are for people affected by someone else's drinking, such as partners, parents and adult children. Alateen serves teenagers.
  • Recovery Dharma uses meditation and Buddhist principles in peer-led meetings, and members do not need to hold any belief in a god.
  • Refuge Recovery is a mindfulness-based program rooted in Buddhist practice, for any addiction.
  • Celebrate Recovery is a Christian program hosted by churches, open to people dealing with addiction and other life problems.

Your First Meeting

Open meetings welcome anyone, including family, friends and people who are simply curious. Closed meetings are only for people who share the group's purpose, such as wanting to stop drinking or using.

At a speaker meeting, one or two people tell their own story. At a discussion meeting, members take turns talking about a topic or a reading. Some meetings study the program's book or steps.

Many groups also meet online or by phone, which can help if you live far from a meeting, work unusual hours or want to try a meeting from home first.

  • You do not have to speak. You can say you would rather listen, or simply pass.
  • You do not have to give your full name.
  • Meetings are free to attend. Many pass a basket for voluntary contributions, and you do not have to give.
  • Arriving a few minutes early is fine, and so is leaving early.

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 New Hampshire below, or call the number on this page to go over options.

Call (888) 209-0266

This number connects to our central helpline, not directly to a listed facility.

Listed Methadone Clinics in New Hampshire

These cities in New Hampshire have facilities listed on this site.

Common Questions About Meetings in New Hampshire

Will a meeting accept me if I am on medication treatment?

People on medication can attend support meetings. Attitudes toward medication vary between twelve-step groups, so asking ahead helps; SMART Recovery states it welcomes people using prescribed medication.

Are there non-religious recovery meetings?

Yes. SMART Recovery is secular. Twelve-step groups describe themselves as spiritual rather than religious and leave the idea of a higher power to each member.

How do I prove I went to court-ordered meetings?

Ask your officer what they accept. Many people bring a sheet for the meeting chair to sign, but groups are not required to sign.

Can I bring someone with me?

Yes, to an open meeting. Closed meetings are kept for people who want to stop drinking or using themselves.

Is there a group for parents or partners?

Al-Anon serves relatives and friends of people who drink, Nar-Anon those of people who use drugs, and SMART Recovery has Family & Friends meetings.

Can I attend a meeting from home in New Hampshire?

Yes. Video and phone meetings are widely available, and the finders on this page list them.

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Call (888) 209-0266

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