Tools & Concepts Sharing Stories Thank you for Lifeline magazine. My latest issue arrived two days ago, and, as always, it gave me insight, contact, Tools, and a feeling of connection. About fourteen years ago, I lived in Houston, Texas. I was sick of my obsessive eating behavior and sick of resorting to strict diets or fasts to make up for bingeing. I had heard … Read More
Service Pass It On – a Lifeline Project Imagine all of the still-suffering compulsive eaters waiting in doctors’ and dentists’ offices or sitting in emergency rooms with nothing to read but magazines touting recipes and dieting. Imagine compulsive exercisers at the gym seeing magazine after magazine featuring nothing but unrealistic body types. Let’s give them a gift: Lifeline. What a refreshing change! Stories of recovery! Stories that save … Read More
Service Card-Carrying Member The number of members in Overeaters Anonymous is small compared with the number of members in Alcoholics Anonymous, but OA is as valuable a program for compulsive overeaters as AA is for alcoholics. I have been in Overeaters Anonymous since January 1987. I entered the program weighing 193 pounds (88 kg) and have maintained a weight loss of slightly more … Read More
Service Try Writing At sharing time in OA meetings, I sometimes read thoughts I have written down. Sharing thoughts and speaking out loud what I have written helps my recovery. Other members used to say, “You should submit that to Lifeline.” But I thought, “If what I write is rejected, I’ll feel rejected” or “What if it isn’t good enough?” My fear of … Read More
Service Divine Packing Lack of connection to my OA Fellowship is my biggest challenge while on vacation. My regular meeting isn’t available, and my cell phone doesn’t work for making outreach calls when I travel outside the country. Isolation from other OA members, minus my usual routine, is a dangerous formula for me. My last trip to Germany was quite challenging. I was … Read More