Support Meetings

Finding a Support Meeting in Oregon During Medication Treatment

Questions about meetings while on medication come up often. Here are plain answers for Oregon.

Call (888) 209-0266

Medication-Friendly Meetings

Plenty of people go to meetings while on methadone or buprenorphine. What matters is finding a group where you are comfortable.

SMART Recovery supports legally prescribed addiction medication, according to its own published position.

Twelve-step meetings vary, because every group decides its own customs, so it is worth asking before you go.

  • Phone or message the group contact listed on the meeting finder and ask how members on medication are received.
  • Online meeting lists sometimes have a filter or tag for medication-friendly meetings.
  • Nobody at a meeting needs to know what you take.
  • Going with someone who already attends can make the first visit easier.

About Your Medication

Talk to your prescriber before changing how you take any medication. 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

Medication for opioid use disorder and support meetings can work side by side. This page covers how to find a meeting in Oregon where you feel at ease while taking methadone or buprenorphine.

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.

Meetings Plus Treatment

Support meetings help many people stay on track, but they are not treatment. They do not provide medical care, medication or a treatment plan.

If you or someone close to you needs detox, medication or a structured program, a treatment provider can assess which level of care fits. Many people go to meetings during and after treatment.

This site lists methadone clinics in Oregon. See the map and city pages below, or call the number on this page to talk through options.

Call (888) 209-0266

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

Where to Find Methadone Clinics in Oregon

Pick a city to see the facilities this site lists there.

Support Meetings in Oregon: Questions

Can I go to a meeting if I take methadone or buprenorphine?

Yes. SMART Recovery says it supports legally prescribed addiction medication. In twelve-step groups each meeting runs itself, so ask the group or look for meetings described as medication-friendly. Talk to your prescriber before you change any medication.

Are support meetings the same as treatment?

No. Meetings are peer support and do not provide medical care. Many people use both, going to meetings during and after treatment.

Do I have to believe in God to go to a support meeting?

No. Twelve-step groups such as A.A. and N.A. talk about a higher power that each member defines for themselves. SMART Recovery is secular, and Recovery Dharma and Refuge Recovery draw on Buddhist practice without asking members to believe in a god.

Will a meeting sign my court attendance slip?

Some groups will and some will not; each group decides. Ask your court or probation officer what proof of attendance they accept before you go.

What is the difference between an open and a closed meeting?

Anyone can attend an open meeting, including family and friends. A closed meeting is only for people who share the group's purpose, such as wanting to stop drinking or using.

Can family members go to a meeting?

Yes. Al-Anon and Nar-Anon are for relatives and friends, SMART Recovery runs family and friends meetings, and anyone can attend an open A.A. or N.A. meeting.

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