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Cocaine Anonymous: What It Is, What to Expect, and How to Find Meetings
Recovering from cocaine addiction can be challenging, especially without the right support. 12-Step support groups like Cocaine Anonymous (CA) can play an important role in cocaine addiction recovery. Participation in these groups has been associated with positive outcomes, including higher rates of abstinence and improved mental health and functioning.1
What Is Cocaine Anonymous (CA)?
Cocaine Anonymous is a 12-Step mutual support group based on the 12 Steps of recovery originally developed by Alcoholics Anonymous (AA).2 Its primary purpose is to help people recover from their addiction and maintain abstinence from cocaine and other substances.2
The Cocaine Anonymous program involves working through the 12 Steps, often with the guidance of a sponsor, and regularly participating in group meetings.¹ These meetings give members an opportunity to connect with others in recovery, share their experiences, and receive ongoing peer support.1
Peer support groups like Cocaine Anonymous can provide support during and after addiction treatment and may help people maintain abstinence.3 They may be incorporated into a person’s rehab treatment plan or provide continued support as part of an aftercare plan.1
What Happens During a Cocaine Anonymous Meeting?
Cocaine Anonymous meetings provide a supportive space for people to connect with others who have experience with addiction and recovery. While individual meetings can vary, many follow a general format that may include an opening or closing prayer, an introduction to Cocaine Anonymous for newcomers, a speaker, and time for members to share their experiences.4
Meetings may be open or closed. Open meetings welcome members as well as family, friends, and other interested people. Closed meetings are intended only for people who identify as having a problem with cocaine or other substances.4
Newcomers don’t need to have experience with the 12 Steps before attending a meeting. Listening to other members and becoming familiar with the group can be part of getting started. Over time, members may choose to find a sponsor and begin working through the 12 Steps.
Some people may choose to attend Narcotics Anonymous (NA) instead of or in addition to Cocaine Anonymous. NA is another 12-Step mutual support group that supports people seeking abstinence from drugs, including alcohol.5
Explore Cocaine Treatment Centers
What Are the 12 Steps of Cocaine Anonymous?
Cocaine Anonymous follows the same 12 Steps used by AA and NA.6 Cocaine Anonymous uses AA’s primary text, the Big Book, which outlines the 12 Steps of recovery.6
The 12 steps are:6
- Step 1: You admit your powerlessness over cocaine and that your life has become unmanageable.
- Step 2: You come to believe in a power that is greater than yourself that can restore you to sanity.
- Step 3: You make the decision to turn over your life to the higher power of your belief.
- Step 4: You make a searching and fearless moral inventory.
- Step 5: You admit your wrongs to your higher power, yourself, and another person.
- Step 6: You become ready to turn over your shortcomings to the higher power of your belief.
- Step 7: You ask your higher power to remove these shortcomings.
- Step 8: You make a list of all the people you have harmed and become willing to make amends with them.
- Step 9: You actively make amends with those you have harmed.
- Step 10: You continue to make a personal inventory and promptly admit when you are wrong.
- Step 11: You engage in daily prayer and meditation to deepen your spiritual connection in order to receive knowledge of your higher power’s will for you and the power to carry it out.
- Step 12: You carry out the CA message to others who are struggling with addiction, and continue to practice the above principles throughout your life.
Working through and practicing the 12 Steps is intended to help members experience spiritual growth or a spiritual awakening.6 As people progress through the Steps and connect with others in recovery, they may develop a stronger connection with their higher power and find meaning in both their own growth and the experiences of others in the group.6
Find a Cocaine Anonymous Meeting Near You
You can find Cocaine Anonymous meetings online or in your area through the CA.org. While the site doesn’t list every meeting directly, it provides links and contact information for local CA groups, where you can find meeting details or connect with a CA member. You can also contact the CA helpline for your state.
Both in-person and online meetings are available, making it possible to stay connected with CA while traveling, moving to a new area, or when an in-person meeting isn’t accessible.
Some people are also introduced to 12-Step programs during addiction treatment. This may include 12-Step facilitation, a type of behavioral therapy that helps people become familiar with the 12-Step recovery process, or participation in CA meetings as part of a broader treatment plan.3
Online & Virtual Cocaine Anonymous Meetings
Cocaine Anonymous also offers online meetings, giving people another way to connect with peer support when attending in person isn’t practical or preferred. Virtual meetings may be especially helpful for people who have transportation challenges, live in remote areas, travel frequently, or simply prefer the convenience of attending from home.
You can find virtual meeting options through the CA Online website or by visiting the Cocaine Anonymous website for meeting resources and local contact information.
Online CA meetings can also be part of a broader recovery plan. Some people begin attending meetings during rehab and continue participating as part of their aftercare plan, providing ongoing connection and support after treatment ends.
Alternatives to Cocaine Anonymous
Cocaine Anonymous isn’t the only peer support option for people recovering from cocaine addiction. Some people prefer a program without a spiritual or 12-Step framework. Alternatives include SMART Recovery, which focuses on self-empowerment and practical skills for changing behaviors, and Secular Organizations for Sobriety, which offers a secular approach to recovery.7
Narcotics Anonymous (NA) is another 12-Step option for people recovering from cocaine use or another type of substance use. Unlike CA, which has its roots in recovery from cocaine addiction, NA welcomes people recovering from the use of any drug.
Support groups can be a valuable part of recovery, but they are not a substitute for professional addiction treatment. Some people may benefit from individual or group therapy and evidence-based approaches such as cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) or contingency management (CM).3
Treatment Options for Cocaine Addiction
Professional treatment can provide additional structure and support for people recovering from cocaine addiction. The right level of care depends on a person’s needs, and treatment may involve different services as recovery progresses.
Options may include:
- Detoxification, which provides medical support and supervision to help people undergo withdrawal from certain substances. The detox process may include administration of comfort medications, when there are no FDA-approved treatment medications, as is the case for cocaine.7
- Inpatient drug and alcohol rehab, which involves living onsite at a rehab, participating in different therapies, and receiving 24/7 care and support.7
- Partial hospitalization rehab programs (PHPs), also known as high-intensity outpatient programs (HIOP), which are very supportive outpatient programs offering 4-8 hours of daily treatment.7,8
- Intensive outpatient addiction treatment programs (IOPs), which are more supportive outpatient programs offering 9-20 hours of treatment per week.7
- Outpatient addiction treatment programs, which means people can continue living at home but will need to attend treatment on a regular schedule at a rehab.7
- Rehab aftercare, which may include one or more supports, including support groups, sober living, ongoing counseling, or regular contact with your rehab.7
Start Your Recovery from Cocaine Addiction
Cocaine Anonymous can provide free, accessible peer support for people who want to stop using cocaine and other substances. Through meetings, sponsorship, and the 12 Steps, members can connect with others who understand the challenges of addiction and recovery.
CA can be one part of a broader recovery plan. People who need additional support may also benefit from professional cocaine addiction treatment tailored to their needs.
Recovery can look different for everyone, and finding the right support is an important place to start. Explore cocaine addiction treatment centers on Recovery.com to compare programs based on location, insurance, treatment approach, amenities, and other factors that matter to you.
FAQs
Anyone who wants to stop using cocaine and all other mind-altering substances can attend CA meetings. There are no dues or membership fees, as groups are self-supporting; the only requirement is a sincere desire to stop using. Meetings are open to individuals in recovery, and some also allow family or friends to attend as observers in open meetings.
CA meetings usually include introductions, readings of recovery literature, personal sharing by members about their recovery experiences, and sometimes discussion of specific steps or topics. There may be open meetings (for anyone interested) and closed meetings (for members only). Confidentiality and anonymity are core principles.
Cocaine Anonymous is a spiritual program, but it isn’t affiliated with any religious sect or organization and welcomes people with different beliefs.2 Although 12-Step groups involve turning to a higher power, that doesn’t have to mean God or a traditional religious figure. A higher power can be any source of spiritual support or guidance a person chooses.
CA is a peer support group, not a medical treatment program. It provides community, support, and structure that many find helpful in maintaining sobriety, but it is generally used alongside formal treatment like therapy, counseling, or rehab programs when needed.
In CA, a sponsor is someone with sustained sobriety who offers guidance and support to a newer member. Sponsors help newcomers work through the Twelve Steps, share insight from their own recovery experience, and offer encouragement when challenges arise. A sponsor-sponsee relationship is voluntary, confidential, and based on trust.
Yes. CA’s primary focus is on recovery from cocaine and other mind-altering substances, not on judging treatment choices. People in CA may participate in medication-assisted treatment (MAT) such as naltrexone, buprenorphine, or other clinically-prescribed therapies if recommended by a healthcare provider. The fellowship encourages individuals to make decisions in consultation with their medical professionals.
Open meetings are available to anyone interested in learning about recovery, including family and friends. Closed meetings are reserved for those who have a desire to stop using cocaine and other mind-altering substances. In both formats, anonymity and respect for privacy are emphasized.
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