Is there anything more heartbreaking than listening to and watching people in program who simply can’t seem to get and stay abstinent? Day after day, month after month, they show up at meetings, but the gift of abstinence eludes them. Compulsive eaters can become so physically sick that they will swear off the abuse for a little while, but a …

I am powerless over compulsive overeating and abstinent since September 13, 2014, by the grace of God. I joined AA on March 19, 1988, and OA shortly thereafter. I try to practice unconditional love and abstain from abusing foods that induce cravings, especially fat, sugar, and salt. I promised long ago that once I had recovery, I would do all …

I have been in OA for twenty-eight years. Before OA, I was a force to be dealt with, very carefully and with dread. I was filled with self-righteous indignation. Imagine my surprise when I discovered indignation was just a synonym for resentment. That Step Four was a real eye-opener. It wasn’t everybody else’s fault after all. Now I am so …

I joined OA in January 2016. Though I consistently attended meetings, I could not get more than four months of continuous abstinence. Program has been a miracle—I remember a time when I couldn’t go more than twenty-four hours without bingeing, restricting, or over-exercising—but I still found myself frustrated. Slips began with compulsive habits creeping back: taking little nibbles of food …

When I was in the food, deep in my addiction, I believed I was a weak person. If I truly wanted to stop the binges and the pattern of self-hatred and self-destruction, then I should be able to muster the willpower to get myself out of the depths of despair. But it never really worked that way. I would be …

I am in withdrawal after giving up the bathroom scale. After a year and a half of program, of going to meetings and working the Steps with a sponsor, I have finally succumbed to my sponsor’s suggestion (and experience I’ve heard from other members) to put the scale away. For an OA member who is practicing abstinence and losing weight, the …

How to live life on life’s terms was the most important lesson I learned during my deployment in 2015. I’m a member of the U.S. Navy, and I spent more than seven months on a ship sailing across the ocean. The ship’s menu did not cater to me. The hours of food service did not cater to me. My work …

I thought I was living the dream— smack-dab in the middle of OA Paradise! I was abstinent, I’d lost weight, I attended meetings, and I was working my program. All was good. I remember hearing about the “honeymoon” abstinence, that one day I would take a step backward before I would be able to move forward again. I felt it …

I am a recovering compulsive overeater, and I’ve been in the rooms for more than forty-two years. Twice I had spurts of freedom from the compulsion to overeat—the longest was two years. I lost 100 pounds (45 kg) initially and have kept off 80 pounds (36 kg) for more than fifteen years, which is a miracle in itself. I’m still 5 …

I was introduced to OA in 1987 following outpatient therapy for binge eating, overeating, and bulimia, so I was already armed with a food plan and an understanding of the First Step when I “jumpstarted” into the program. The miracle of abstinence led to a new spiritual life, and OA saved me from the insanity of my disease. I was …