gingerbabe
New member
Has anyone ever attended an Overeaters Anonymous group? Or a food addicts group? I'm thinking I might find a meeting and try it out. Food is like the monster under the bed that I can't stop thinking about...
Overeaters Anonymous anyone?
- Thread starter gingerbabe
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misterimpatient
New member
Overeaters Anonymous
You're in a great location to try Overeaters Anonymous. The Boston area is loaded with meetings, many of them very strong.
I came to OA in 2002 at 306 pounds. Today my average weight is 170, so you could say it works for me.
Losing the weight was my reason for coming but I stayed because of how OA helped me learn to lose the obsession over food.
You may already know this, OA is a 12 Step program like Alcoholics Anonymous. We talk about the "3 legged stool" of recovery: Physical, Emotional and Spiritual.
I hope you give it a try. OA suggests you try 6 different meetings before you decide if OA is for you. Each meeting is unique, so if the first meeting doesn't float your boat, try another.
Good luck and I hope to see you in the rooms one day.
You're in a great location to try Overeaters Anonymous. The Boston area is loaded with meetings, many of them very strong.
I came to OA in 2002 at 306 pounds. Today my average weight is 170, so you could say it works for me.
Losing the weight was my reason for coming but I stayed because of how OA helped me learn to lose the obsession over food.
You may already know this, OA is a 12 Step program like Alcoholics Anonymous. We talk about the "3 legged stool" of recovery: Physical, Emotional and Spiritual.
I hope you give it a try. OA suggests you try 6 different meetings before you decide if OA is for you. Each meeting is unique, so if the first meeting doesn't float your boat, try another.
Good luck and I hope to see you in the rooms one day.
with AA - you have to admit that you are powerless over your drinking and you have to turn over your addiction to something bigger than yourself... For many people that higher power is God... however, for non-believers, that higher power can be AA or the group your associated with.
The first step is admitting you have a problem and a desire for help with your problem...
The first step is admitting you have a problem and a desire for help with your problem...
I've mentioned it here before -but OA also has a website that you can attend online meetings
andsomething new they've added - podcasts
misterimpatient
New member
There really aren't any "rules" in OA. There are suggestions. The only requirement for membership is a desire to stop eating compulsively.
The whole God thing was a major obstacle for me starting out. I am, still, an atheist in my head. I say that in religious terms. OA has nothing to do with religion but we do believe that spiritual growth is key to recovering from the disease of compulsive eating. The high power thing for me is really just about acknowledging that my responsibility ends when I have done the best I can. At that point, I am not responsible for the result. I can't control the actions of others. If I'm kind and friendly and the reaction is rejections, hey, not my issue. There are examples of this in my life every day.
Once I realized I'm not in charge of others, life got a lot easier.
The whole God thing was a major obstacle for me starting out. I am, still, an atheist in my head. I say that in religious terms. OA has nothing to do with religion but we do believe that spiritual growth is key to recovering from the disease of compulsive eating. The high power thing for me is really just about acknowledging that my responsibility ends when I have done the best I can. At that point, I am not responsible for the result. I can't control the actions of others. If I'm kind and friendly and the reaction is rejections, hey, not my issue. There are examples of this in my life every day.
Once I realized I'm not in charge of others, life got a lot easier.
jeffisbig
New member
Didn't mean to sidetrack the thread. I had a friend who's mom had a really bad experience with AA She's kinda weird but still can't 100% discredit everything because she is kinda kooky.
That said, its so much easier to deal with anything when there are people who have gone through the same thing. Especially with an eating disorder, and overeating I think even especiallyer (I make up words). If I tried to talk to some of my friends about it I know the response I would get and it would not be good.
That said, its so much easier to deal with anything when there are people who have gone through the same thing. Especially with an eating disorder, and overeating I think even especiallyer (I make up words). If I tried to talk to some of my friends about it I know the response I would get and it would not be good.
misterimpatient
New member
I've heard disappointing stories about AA and OA. These are groups of people and, in my experience, anywhere people group together, sometimes weird and undesirable things happen. I've been to OA Meetings in the deep south. *Very* different than the Boston area (which is where I am, metrowest).
At 46 when I came to OA, I was desperate enough to do what I was told (what was suggested). I wasn't "smart" enough to know how much trouble I was in when I was in my 20's. No regrets but I do with I knew then what I know now.
Oh well, maybe in my next life
.
At 46 when I came to OA, I was desperate enough to do what I was told (what was suggested). I wasn't "smart" enough to know how much trouble I was in when I was in my 20's. No regrets but I do with I knew then what I know now.
Oh well, maybe in my next life
.
gingerbabe
New member
I don't know what stories you have heard about AA, but I've never heard anything bad. If someone went and didn't like it, they probably weren't ready to go
I have gone to AA meetings with friends because they were too nervous to go alone and needed support. I've also been to Alnon meetings and I really enjoyed them. I found them inspiring and it's nice to meet people face-to-face that have isssues so similar to your own.
It's like a real life forum haha. But anyways, I did some looking and found meetings in my town that don't interfere with my work/school schedule. I will definitely let everyone know how it went and try to give an honest opinion about the group. If I don't like OA after 1 meeting, I will at least try it a second time. (the 1st meeting will be Saturday afternoon)
I'm just a little nervous because I don't like like I have an eating problem...so I just hope that everyone is open to me.
I have gone to AA meetings with friends because they were too nervous to go alone and needed support. I've also been to Alnon meetings and I really enjoyed them. I found them inspiring and it's nice to meet people face-to-face that have isssues so similar to your own.
It's like a real life forum haha. But anyways, I did some looking and found meetings in my town that don't interfere with my work/school schedule. I will definitely let everyone know how it went and try to give an honest opinion about the group. If I don't like OA after 1 meeting, I will at least try it a second time. (the 1st meeting will be Saturday afternoon)
I'm just a little nervous because I don't like like I have an eating problem...so I just hope that everyone is open to me.
A few years ago, I was starting to do some work at a suicide hotline (prevention, not how to ) one of hte things the 'trainers" insisted we do were to attend several AA meetings -just to hear stories from people... We could participate if we wanted, bt we weren't allowed to lie at all- they just prefered us to not say the real reason why we were there (I always felt this was a little sleezy but that's another story)
One meeting I had gone to - I sat in the back and lsitened to a few stories of people who seemed to have an awful lot of excuses and weren't really taking responsibility for their lives... Just doing a lot of blaming ( I grew up around a lot of alcoholics - so I knew the drill kind of)... People cheered and applauded when people said -that it had been xx days without a drink... OH YAY..
After the meeting I met up with some buddies at a bar (yes, i am going to hell... for all the issues I do have in my life -alcohol is not one of them) and there was at least one recovering alcholic who wasn't really recovering in the bar... Just rreally quite sad...
) one of hte things the 'trainers" insisted we do were to attend several AA meetings -just to hear stories from people... We could participate if we wanted, bt we weren't allowed to lie at all- they just prefered us to not say the real reason why we were there (I always felt this was a little sleezy but that's another story)One meeting I had gone to - I sat in the back and lsitened to a few stories of people who seemed to have an awful lot of excuses and weren't really taking responsibility for their lives... Just doing a lot of blaming ( I grew up around a lot of alcoholics - so I knew the drill kind of)... People cheered and applauded when people said -that it had been xx days without a drink... OH YAY..
After the meeting I met up with some buddies at a bar (yes, i am going to hell... for all the issues I do have in my life -alcohol is not one of them) and there was at least one recovering alcholic who wasn't really recovering in the bar... Just rreally quite sad...
gingerbabe
New member
The stories aren't always inspiring, they can be quite sad sometimes. But if you go long enough, it's great to see people evolve and change. Most don't though...
Yeah when people went around and said "Hi, I'm Bob and I am an alcoholic..." I just said "Hi my name is Alicia..." I drink on the weekends, but somehow I can control my drinking habits. I come from a family with alcoholics, so I too know how all about it. I chose food over alcohol haha. Maybe it's not so bad...
Yeah when people went around and said "Hi, I'm Bob and I am an alcoholic..." I just said "Hi my name is Alicia..." I drink on the weekends, but somehow I can control my drinking habits. I come from a family with alcoholics, so I too know how all about it. I chose food over alcohol haha. Maybe it's not so bad...