Abstinence Spiritual Growth By the time I reached Overeaters Anonymous in December of 2005, I weighed 110 pounds (50 kg). I was about 20 pounds (9 kg) below the ideal weight for my age and height. I had never been overweight, but for years I struggled with under-eating, and experienced a brief stint of anorexia during high school. Since I joined OA, I … Read More
Service Tools & Concepts Lessons from the Fellowship My recent service as Virtual Services Trustee has taught me about: balance between service to others and self-care, the importance of what is good for OA as a whole instead of what I prefer personally, accepting help and direction and not taking it as criticism, how much there is to know and how little I do know, grounding my ideas … Read More
Abstinence You Just Might Be Half my family is from a very small town in Kentucky, and redneck jokes are often shared at family events, no matter how many times I roll my eyes in protest. Recently, during one of my daily conversations with my sponsor (the kind you think will be simple but turn out to be amazing) I shared about a mini-vacation from … Read More
Steps Two New This morning, as part of my daily spiritual practice, I read a page from For Today and felt excitement. It is February, the month of Step Two. Although each of the Twelve Steps has played a significant role in my spiritual growth, Step Two has a special place in my heart. Step Two and Tradition Two transformed my understanding of … Read More
Recovery Working the Program Shipwreck Survivor When I was growing up, I had a lot of emotions to deal with. I never learned good coping skills, so I handled situations by eating over them. I buried feelings that were too much for me. It was either eat or go crazy, so I ate. I like to compare my experience with a shipwreck. At first, I went … Read More
Recovery Relationships Becoming “Other Wise” Tradition Twelve: Anonymity is the spiritual foundation of all these Traditions, ever reminding us to place principles before personalities. If it’s not happening already, it’s just a matter of time in these rooms before you experience a relationship or acquaintance you do not like. It’s natural; we’re all human and none of us are perfect. However, I challenge your character … Read More
How OA Changed My Life Recovery A Change at the Checkout My trips to the grocery store became much different after I became abstinent more than ten years ago. Many aisles no longer held anything I could safely purchase. The remaining aisles got greater attention from me, and to this day, I read labels, check portion sizes, and compare prices. There is one aspect of the grocery store that gets my … Read More
Recovery Relationships Freedoms Gained in OA First, I can go into a supermarket and not have to buy the sugars and carbs I’m addicted to. What a freedom and relief that is! “Not today!” I think to myself with gratitude. Also, I have the freedom to be happy in life and enjoy its pleasures. No longer is that dark shadow, the curse of addiction, crossing my … Read More
Recovery Relationships All the Same Age Although I’ve been a very thankful member of this wonderful Fellowship for two and a half years, I still feel like a veritable babe in arms. I know we are all toddlers until we have been abstinent about five years. I look forward with alacrity to the day I’m emotionally of an age to join the OA kindergartners! Maybe since … Read More
Anorexia & Bulimia Diversity New Life Blooming I am a 21-year-old college student and a recovering anorexic, bulimic, and compulsive eater. I’ve been in OA for almost a year and recently got a sponsor to help me work the Twelve Steps. I’ve been in treatment for my eating disorders and that is where I discovered OA. I wrote a poem about my recovery, and my sponsor suggested … Read More
