Sentinel Alcohol DetoxWhich Group Fits You
For many people in Oregon, support meetings are part of staying sober after detox. This page starts with the groups many people try after detox (A.A., SMART Recovery and, for families, Al-Anon) and then covers the others that meet in person and online.
No group is right for everyone. Many people try a few kinds of meetings before they find one that suits them.
- A.A. (Alcoholics Anonymous) is for people who want to stop drinking. It is a twelve-step program with a spiritual basis, and each member defines a higher power for themselves. It is for the person in recovery.
- SMART Recovery is for people with any substance use or addictive behavior. It is secular and uses tools drawn from cognitive behavioral and motivational approaches. It is for the person in recovery, with separate meetings for family and friends.
- Al-Anon is for relatives and friends of someone with a drinking problem. It is a twelve-step program with a spiritual basis, and Alateen is for younger members. It is for family and friends.
- Recovery Dharma is for people with any addiction. It is peer-led and draws on Buddhist meditation and practice, and no belief in a god is required. It is for the person in recovery.
- Refuge Recovery is for people with any addiction. It is mindfulness-based and draws on Buddhist practice. It is for the person in recovery.
- Celebrate Recovery is for people with addiction and other struggles. It is Christian and Christ-centered and meets in local churches. It is for the person in recovery, and many groups welcome family members.
- N.A. (Narcotics Anonymous) is for people who want to stop using drugs, including alcohol. It is a twelve-step program with a spiritual basis. It is for the person in recovery.
- Nar-Anon is for relatives and friends of someone with a drug problem. It is a twelve-step program with a spiritual basis. It is for family and friends.
Early Sobriety After Detox
Detox manages withdrawal. It is the start of recovery, not the whole of it, and the first weeks after it are when many people look for support.
Many people go to a meeting in the first days after detox, alongside the next step in care that their treatment team suggests.
- Ask your detox program about the next step in care, such as residential or outpatient treatment.
- In many areas A.A. meets every day; SMART Recovery and others also meet online every day.
- Keep the number of someone you trust close by, and remember that 988 answers calls and texts at any hour.
- If withdrawal symptoms return or get worse, get medical help right away.
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.
Official Meeting Finders for Oregon
Peer support groups and mutual-aid programs run their own meetings. The links below go to each organization's official pages for Oregon, 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.
Sentinel Alcohol Detox 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.
Court-Ordered Meetings and Attendance Slips
A judge, probation officer, drug court or employer program sometimes requires a person to go to support meetings. What is required differs from one court and case to the next.
Fellowships such as A.A. and N.A. are not part of any court and do not report attendance. Where a group agrees to it, the person leading the meeting may sign an attendance slip or verification sheet that you bring. Not every group signs slips, and online meetings handle proof of attendance in different ways.
- Ask your court, probation officer or case manager which kinds of meetings count, how many you need and by when.
- Ask what proof they accept: a signed slip, an online attendance record or something else.
- Bring your own slip or form, and keep copies of everything.
- If a meeting cannot sign, check with your officer before you rely on another kind of proof.
Check with Your Court
This is general information, not legal advice. Your court or probation officer decides what meets your requirements.
Medication-Friendly Meetings
Plenty of people go to meetings while taking a prescribed medication for alcohol or opioid use. 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.
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 alcohol treatment programs this site lists in Oregon 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 Oregon
Press Search to list facilities in Oregon, or type a city or ZIP code.
Listed Alcohol Treatment Programs in Oregon
These cities in Oregon have facilities listed on this site.
Common Questions About Meetings in Oregon
When should I start meetings after detox?
There is no fixed rule. Some people attend a meeting the day they leave detox; the right timing is something to talk over with your care team.
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.
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 bring someone with me?
Yes, to an open meeting. Closed meetings are kept for people who want to stop drinking or using themselves.
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 meetings replace rehab?
Meetings are not a substitute for medical or clinical treatment. They are often used alongside it and afterward.