Cocaine Anonymous (C.A.) is a
twelve-step program
Twelve-step programs are international mutual aid programs supporting recovery from substance addictions, behavioral addictions and compulsions. Developed in the 1930s, the first twelve-step program, Alcoholics Anonymous (AA), aided its members ...
formed in 1982 for people who seek recovery from drug
addiction
Addiction is a neuropsychological disorder characterized by a persistent and intense urge to engage in certain behaviors, one of which is the usage of a drug, despite substantial harm and other negative consequences. Repetitive drug use o ...
. It is patterned very closely after
Alcoholics Anonymous
Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) is an international mutual aid fellowship of alcoholics dedicated to abstinence-based recovery from alcoholism through its spiritually-inclined Twelve Step program. Following its Twelve Traditions, AA is non-professi ...
, although the two groups are unaffiliated. While many C.A. members have been addicted to cocaine, crack, speed or similar substances, C.A. accepts all who desire freedom from "
cocaine
Cocaine (from , from , ultimately from Quechuan languages, Quechua: ''kúka'') is a central nervous system (CNS) stimulant mainly recreational drug use, used recreationally for its euphoria, euphoric effects. It is primarily obtained from t ...
and all other mind-altering substances" as members.
C.A. uses the book ''Alcoholics Anonymous''
as its basic text. Complementing this are the C.A. Storybook, ''Hope, Faith and Courage: Stories from the Fellowship of Cocaine Anonymous''.
and the
AA book ''Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions''.
C.A. was formed in
Los Angeles
Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ángeles, link=no , ), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the largest city in the state of California and the second most populous city in the United States after New York City, as well as one of the world' ...
in 1982 by the late Johnny Segal and several others. Seagal worked in the film industry and saw a number of people who had difficulty finding help from anyone knowledgeable about the special difficulties presented by cocaine addiction.
Co-Anon (formerly CocAnon) is a program for families of cocaine users, analogous to
Al-Anon
Al-Anon Family Groups, founded in 1951, is an international mutual aid organization for people who have been impacted by another person's alcoholism. In the organization's own words, Al-Anon is a "worldwide fellowship that offers a program of rec ...
for the friends and family of alcoholics.
See also
*
Addiction recovery groups Drug addiction recovery groups are voluntary associations of people who share a common desire to overcome their drug addiction. Different groups use different methods, ranging from completely secular to explicitly spiritual. Some programs may advoca ...
*
List of twelve-step groups
This is a list of Wikipedia articles about specific twelve-step recovery programs and fellowships. These programs, and the groups of people who follow them, are based on the set of guiding principles for recovery from addictive, compulsive, o ...
References
Further reading
*
*
*
External links
CA World Services websiteOnline meeting websiteOfficial UK websiteCo-Anonfor friends and family of addicts
*{{worldcat id, id=lccn-n95-3188
Cocaine
Organizations established in 1982
Twelve-step programs
Non-profit organizations based in Los Angeles
Addiction and substance abuse organizations