Anonymity is a cornerstone of Cocaine Anonymous, offering members a safe and confidential environment to share their experience, strength, and hope. It protects privacy, fosters humility, and ensures the Fellowship’s focus remains on principles rather than personalities. Guided by our Eleventh and Twelfth Traditions, we maintain personal anonymity at the public level—press, radio, television, and films—so that anyone seeking help can do so without fear of exposure. Within meetings, each member chooses what personal information to share, and care is taken not to break another’s anonymity outside the Fellowship. More than a promise of privacy, anonymity is a spiritual principle that safeguards recovery, unity, and trust within C.A.
If you have ever questioned the meaning of anonymity, perhaps this pamphlet will help.
One definition of “anonymous” is “nameless.” Anonymity is vital to the continued growth and existence of Cocaine Anonymous, and the Fellowship’s name contains an implicit promise of privacy. By treating who we see and what we hear at our meetings as confidential, C.A. remains a safe place to share our experience, strength and hope.
Privacy is of the utmost importance when we first enter the Fellowship. We are terrified at the thought that family, friends or work colleagues might find out about our addiction. As we grow in our sobriety, anonymity takes on a greater spiritual emphasis. It calls on us to act with humility; that is, to be right-sized in our opinions of ourselves and our relationship with others.