CHEMICALLY DEPENDENT ANONYMOUS
Copyright © 1990 by
CDA COMMUNICATIONS, INC. GENERAL SERVICES OFFICE
All rights reserved.
Published in eBook format by CDA Communications, Inc.
Converted by http://www.eBookIt.com
ISBN-13: 978-1-4566-2856-7
The Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions are reprinted and adapted with permission of Alcoholics Anonymous World Services, Inc.
Permission to reprint and adapt the Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions does not mean that A.A. has reviewed or approved the contents of this publication or that A.A. agrees with the views expressed herein. A.A. is a program of recovery from alcoholism. Use of the Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions in connection with programs and activities that are patterned after A.A. but which address other problems does not imply otherwise.
The first and last paragraphs of Chapter 6, CDA’s Twelve Steps, are reprinted and adapted with permission of Narcotics Anonymous World Service, Inc.
CDA FOR THE NEWCOMER is copyrighted
© by CDA Communications, Inc.
Adaptation of the last paragraph of the introduction to the questions, the first ten questions and the final paragraph of Chapter 11 are reprinted here with permission. CDA’s Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions are also reprinted here with permission.
Library of Congress Catalog Card Number 90-81598
ISBN 978-0-9778506-2-4
First Printing 1990
Second Printing 1997
Third Printing 2002
Fourth Printing 2007 Revised Fifth Printing 2012
(revised “The Fellowship,” “Why CDA,” “The CDA Gifts”) Printed in the United States of America
Sixth Printing 2016
CHEMICALLY DEPENDENT ANONYMOUS
CDA COMMUNICATIONS, INC.
GENERAL SERVICE OFFICE
P.O. Box 423
Severna Park, MD 21146-0423
1-888-CDA-HOPE
Foreword
This is the first attempt of the Fellowship of Chemically Dependent Anonymous to share its history, philosophical underpinnings and program with others in our own book. We have based our program on one proven successful for over half a century by Alcoholics Anonymous in helping alcoholics find the road to recovery and a new way of life. As the focus of our program, we have adapted A.A.’s Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions, changing them only as they refer to chemical dependency in its entirety rather than alcohol abuse alone. We are grateful to A.A. for pointing the way for us as it has for many other anonymous groups.
The CDA First Edition Committee consisting of four members of the Fellowship first met in May 1986 at Thanksgiving Farm in Harwood, Maryland to discuss the possibility of publishing a book for CDA. We delegated various committees such as the Steps Committee, the Traditions Committee and the H.O.W. Committee to begin work on enlarging upon the fundamental principles of our program. We found a lawyer to advise us on the legalities connected with our literary endeavor.
We then made several announcements to the general membership over a period of three years requesting personal story contributions to the book. We found editors who compiled our materials and prepared it for publication. We incorporated our publishing division, CDA COMMUNICATIONS, INC., General Service Office, in October 1989. At long last, our dreams have come to fruition as we present Chemically Dependent Anonymous to the world.
The First Edition Committee wishes to thank all the individuals and committees who generously contributed their time and ideas and those who gathered or submitted material for this volume. Special thanks go to the 23 courageous recovering men and women who have been willing to share their personal stories about their addictions, their attempts at recovery and their successes in combating many varieties of substance abuse. The stories have been kept as close to their exact words as possible. Only those who have been there can so eloquently explain how they have been able to rebuild their lives. These CDA members want to give hope to others that they too may find freedom from their addictions through CDA’s own time-tested program of recovery.
The CDA First Edition Committee dedicates this book to you, the reader, with our sincere wishes that what you find herein will help you or those you are helping discover the new life of health, sanity and sobriety that CDA has to offer. May God (as you understand Him) guide you on your way.
Acknowledgement
We are grateful to those in the mental health field, members of other anonymous organizations, business people, the clergy and the public in general for their support and recognition of our efforts to continue carrying our message of hope for recovery to others.
Testimonials
SLIGO CREEK PSYCHOLOGICAL SERVICES
1420 Woodman Avenue
Silver Spring, Maryland 20902
Dear CDA Members,
I am very pleased that the Chemically Dependent Anonymous (CDA) meetings are now available to younger teenage clients and other young-adult residents of Montgomery County, Maryland, and that they are encouraged, confronted and supported by others of this peer group in their efforts to become free of chemicals. I know that the therapists of this and other private practices, as well as public services for adolescent day treatment, family therapy and adult addictions, have been deeply inspired by the supportive work of CDA. The attendance of voluntary and mandatory clients and the high volume of participation at these meetings speak very well for the dedication and sincerity of involvement by their leaders. The resulting changes in attitude, lifestyle and school grades of CDA adolescents and young adults have been very encouraging.
Thank you for your continued efforts in the collaborative support of private and public programs here in Montgomery County. I wish continued success to your Fellowship in its endeavors to provide a program for those who seek recovery from drug and alcohol dependence. I strongly endorse your twelve-step method as a viable process for achieving recovery from substance abuse.
Sincerely,
Thomas W. Summers, Ph.D. Psychologist, Clinical Director
To Whom It May Concern:
Years ago, my life was utterly hopeless because of a drinking problem. Then I got “trapped” into attending Alcoholics Anonymous meetings and gradually started working the Program. That saved my life and showed me a way to personal freedom. Indeed, I have seen the miracle of A.A. work for countless others in our country and around the world.
Along with A.A.'s success has come a profound change in the public's attitude. People now recognize alcoholism, once thought to be a moral deficiency, as a health problem. This conversion is having a beneficial effect on the prospects for still-suffering alcoholics.
Alcoholics can help other alcoholics because they understand each other and are unified by their common problem. This wholeness however has suffered in recent years because of changes in society and the way drugs are used today. Many newcomers to A.A. now have other drug problems along with their alcoholism and a small number are not alcoholics at all.
This inconsistency has been lessened in our area of the country because of the influence of Chemically Dependent Anonymous, an organization that began in