OA’s primary purpose is to abstain from compulsive eating and compulsive food behaviors and to carry the message of recovery through the Twelve Steps of OA to those who still suffer.
Does Overeaters Anonymous still exist?
Available in 35+ Countries. Welcome to Overeaters Anonymous (OA)—a community of people who through shared experience, strength, and hope are recovering from unhealthy relationships with food and body image.
Who goes to Overeaters Anonymous?
In Overeaters Anonymous, you’ll find members who are extremely overweight, even morbidly obese, moderately overweight, average weight, underweight, still maintaining periodic control over their eating behavior, or totally unable to control their compulsive eating.
What happens At Overeaters Anonymous meetings?
We gather around a table or in a circle of chairs. Our meetings follow a format (like a script) that a volunteer leader reads. The format usually includes reading the Overeaters Anonymous Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions. Other OA literature may also be read.
What is the success rate of Overeaters Anonymous?
Survey results show that 90 percent of OA has responded that they have improved “somewhat, much, or very much” in their emotional, spiritual, career and social lives.
How much does Overeaters Anonymous cost?
Overeaters Anonymous (OA), a fellowship based on the Twelve Steps of Alcoholics Anonymous, is one of the oldest and most accessible resources for people with eating disorders, and it’s free.
What is the OA diet plan?
OA has created a Plan of Eating to help people recover from compulsive eating behaviors. The plan aims to identify specific eating patterns and guide healthy eating decisions. The plan is individualized. It doesn’t provide any specific suggestions for foods, calorie totals, or other restrictions.
How long do OA meetings last?
Meetings usually last between one and one and a half hours. Before and after the meeting, feel free to ask questions and pick up some OA literature to help you learn about the program.
How do you introduce yourself in Overeaters Anonymous?
“Who would like to read the Twelve Traditions of Overeaters Anonymous?” [Pause for reading.] “Are there any compulsive eaters here besides myself? We will now go around and introduce ourselves. Please introduce yourself by first name only.”
What is the difference between an open and closed OA meeting?
Closed meetings are for A.A. members only, or for those who have a drinking problem and “have a desire to stop drinking.” Open meetings are available to anyone interested in Alcoholics Anonymous’ program of recovery from alcoholism. Nonalcoholics may attend open meetings as observers.
What is a 90 day OA meeting?
The term “90-day meetings” refers to OA meeting formats that asks people with 90 days or more of continuous abstinence to share, and those who don’t to listen at first. Just like drinking, compulsive eating places us in a state of diminished capacity, clouds our thinking, and makes life unmanageable.
Is Overeaters Anonymous religious?
OA is not a religious organization. OA members are people of many religious faiths as well as atheists and agnostics. The OA recovery program is based on acceptance of certain spiritual principles.
What is the difference between OA and OA How?
HOW-OA is a subgroup of OA. It is considered a special focus group that offers a structured approach to working the 12 Steps of OA. What is the difference between OA and HOW-OA? HOW-OA is for people seeking a structured program.
What does a closed meeting in OA mean?
Closed Meeting: Restricted to those who desire to stop eating compulsively (OA members and others who think they may have a problem with food).
Can you do OA without a sponsor?
Sponsors share their program up to the level of their own experience. They pass on what they have, often in the same way that they received it. Although there are no specific qualifications for sponsorship in OA, it’s best to work with a sponsor who is committed to abstinence and to working the Steps.
Are OA meetings free?
There are no dues or fees for members; we are self- supporting through our own contributions, neither soliciting nor accepting outside donations. OA is not affiliated with any public or private organization, political movement, ideology, or religious doctrine; we take no position on outside issues.
What is OA how program?
stands for Honest, Openminded and Willing. OA HOW is a movement within Overeaters Anonymous (OA) whose basic principle is that abstinence is the only means to freedom from compulsive eating and relief from the the obsessions of food addiction.
What does abstinence mean in Overeaters Anonymous?
Abstinence: The action of refraining from compulsive eating and compulsive food behaviors while working towards or maintaining a healthy body weight.
What book does OA use?
We also study the book Alcoholics Anonymous, referred to as the “Big Book,” to understand and reinforce our program. Many OA members find that when read daily, the literature further reinforces how to live the Twelve Steps.
Is there such thing as food addiction?
Up to 20% of people may have a food addiction or exhibit addictive-like eating behavior ( 1 ). This number is even higher among people with obesity. Food addiction involves being addicted to food in the same way as someone with a substance use disorder demonstrates addiction to a particular substance ( 2 , 3 ).
What is a GREY sheeter?
Distributed by Overeaters Anonymous to its members until 1986, the Grey Sheet Diet was a meal plan that received its name from the grey-colored paper on which it was printed. The plan was designed to help control food addiction and promote weight loss.
Can I do Overeaters Anonymous online?
Yes. Go to our Find a Meeting page for information and assistance in finding an online or telephone meeting.
What are the nine tools of Overeaters Anonymous?
We use these Tools—a plan of eating, sponsorship, meetings, telephone, writing, literature, action plan, anonymity, and service—on a regular basis, to help us achieve and maintain abstinence and recovery from our disease.
How do I get an OA sponsor?
A great starting place to find a sponsor is at a meeting in your local area. Attend as many meetings as you can to find candidates. Look for people at meetings you identify with and who have what you want. You may need to attend several meetings before you find a sponsor.
How many members does Overeaters Anonymous have?
Today, about 6,500 OA groups meet each week in over 75 countries. With 60,000 members worldwide divided into ten geographic regions and a virtual region, OA helps thousands of compulsive eaters find new life in recovery.