Writing The Next Write Action Fear almost crippled me into inaction this week. I’d begun a new venture but found myself catastrophizing over events out of my control. Now, I know how recovery works. I learn more each day and have been blessed with sixteen years in our program. I find solutions in my God and the Steps, and they have never once let me … Read More
Traditions Only Through OA After learning about humility, I became able to share more of my personal self with a group. This was a very different experience for me. Growing up, I’d been taught that outward appearances were the most important thing, and any problems I had should stay at home. Through recovery, I learned about sharing with others at a more intimate level, … Read More
How OA Changed My Life Smile Therapy I experimented with food for years before joining program. I noticed if I ate sugar in the morning, I was more likely to eat it in the afternoon, too, and also forget I’d already eaten some (the more I ate, the more I forgot). I noticed when I went without a certain sweet, I thought about it obsessively. When a … Read More
Recovery Good Times and Better Holidays are hard for me, period. Throw me in with a crazy family, awkward photos, and mounds of food, and I’m likely to stay stationed at the snack table. It just so happens that my OA birthday is December 25. I will be four this year. I used to hate holidays, and I couldn’t see my family without stuffing my … Read More
Higher Power Eager to Grow My experience of finding my Higher Power is not like finding buried treasure with a map; finding my Higher Power is much more of a process and a journey. It’s more like finding my balance when learning how to walk, or finding my strength when I first begin to exercise. In the beginning, I was so angry at the idea … Read More
Recovery Promises Power I have been in recovery a little over a year and I am 45 pounds (20 kg) lighter. This change in weight brought me a healthy body for the first time in my life and a complete change in how I live. Daily affirmations are a huge part of my recovery, and they’re one of the best ways I’ve found … Read More
Service Applying Anonymity I believe the most important Tool in program is anonymity. Using this Tool made me free to grow—and I seemed to change my opinion on any given subject once a week. At first I cried at every meeting. It was God’s way of shutting my mouth so my ears could open. I began to get a handle on my newfound … Read More
Steps Step 4: Searching Out Shame In OA, we rely strongly on AA literature, and we are truly blessed to have it. I am infinitely grateful to AA and its founders and members. I do find, however, one critical difference between alcoholism and food addiction that, once addressed, finally gave me the freedom of back-to-back abstinence that eluded me for decades. Members of AA can walk … Read More
Recovery I’m Not Doing It At times I suffer fear: Will I be successful at weight loss? Perhaps I have a diet mentality. During these times, I must remember the following: “I” am not losing the weight. Higher Power and Overeaters Anonymous are helping me lose the weight. A healthy way of living is helping me lose the weight. Cleaning up my side of the … Read More
Recovery Finally Home I am 62 years old and a recovering anorexic and bulimic. After suffering from this disease since the age of 15, I reached my final bottom on June 2, 2014, and walked into an OA meeting in Warwick, New York. No one at the meeting looked like me. I immediately said, “They are judging me,” when in fact, I was doing the judging. Then … Read More