It Works How and Why book cover

It Works How and Why by Narcotic Anonymous Summary

It Works How and Why
Narcotic Anonymous
4.54 (199 Reviews)
Health
Self-growth
Psychology
Overview
Key Takeaways
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Overview of It Works How and Why

Discover the definitive guide to addiction recovery that has transformed countless lives since 1993. "It Works: How and Why" unpacks NA's 12 Steps and 12 Traditions through collective wisdom, offering a profound roadmap where one addict helping another becomes the ultimate healing power.

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Key takeaways

1

Introduction to Recovery

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Welcome to "It Works: How and Why," a guide to the principles of recovery used by Narcotics Anonymous. This book is a journey through the Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions, designed to help you understand and apply these principles in your own life. As addicts, we have each experienced the pain, loneliness, and despair of addiction. Before coming to NA, many of us tried everything we could think of to control our use of drugs. We tried switching drugs, limiting our use to certain times or places, and even vowed to stop using altogether. But nothing we tried had any lasting effect. Our active addiction continued to progress, overpowering even our best intentions.

2

Step One: Admitting Powerlessness

3

Steps Two and Three: Belief and Surrender

4

Steps Four to Seven: Self-Reflection and Amends

5

Steps Eight to Twelve: Continuous Growth and Service

6

The Twelve Traditions: Principles for Living

7

Living the Program

8

Maintaining Recovery

9

Conclusion: A New Way of Life

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"Perfect balance between learning and entertainment. Finished ‘Thinking, Fast and Slow’ on my commute this week."

@Raaaaaachelw
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"Crazy how much I learned while walking the dog. BeFreed = small habits → big gains."

@Matt, YC alum
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likes
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"Reading used to feel like a chore. Now it’s just part of my lifestyle."

@Erin, Investment Banking Associate , NYC
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"Feels effortless compared to reading. I’ve finished 6 books this month already."

@djmikemoore
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@Pitiful
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@Jaded_Falcon
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@OojasSalunke
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@Leo, Law Student, UPenn
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@Moemenn
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"I never knew where to start with nonfiction—BeFreed’s book lists turned into podcasts gave me a clear path."

@Chloe, Solo founder, LA
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12
likes
117

"Perfect balance between learning and entertainment. Finished ‘Thinking, Fast and Slow’ on my commute this week."

@Raaaaaachelw
platform
star
star
star
star
star

"Crazy how much I learned while walking the dog. BeFreed = small habits → big gains."

@Matt, YC alum
platform
comments
12
likes
108

"Reading used to feel like a chore. Now it’s just part of my lifestyle."

@Erin, Investment Banking Associate , NYC
platform
comments
254
likes
17

"Feels effortless compared to reading. I’ve finished 6 books this month already."

@djmikemoore
platform
star
star
star
star
star

"BeFreed turned my guilty doomscrolling into something that feels productive and inspiring."

@Pitiful
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96
likes
4.5K

"BeFreed turned my commute into learning time. 20-min podcasts are perfect for finishing books I never had time for."

@SofiaP
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"BeFreed replaced my podcast queue. Imagine Spotify for books — that’s it. 🙌"

@Jaded_Falcon
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201
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16

"It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."

@OojasSalunke
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"The themed book list podcasts help me connect ideas across authors—like a guided audio journey."

@Leo, Law Student, UPenn
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37
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"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"

@Cashflowbubu
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