Literature Tools & Concepts Double Wow I love Lifeline. It gives me so many nuggets of wisdom. Here are two from page 25 of the April 2019 issue: “I was committing suicide by fork.” Wow—what a description of relapse! I’ve been there, and I get it. “I could remain happily neutral around food.” Another wow! That truly speaks recovery to me! Today, I am not suicidal. … Read More
Ask-It Basket Connecting to Recovery Q. How can I feel hopeful about recovery when folks at the meetings I attend have been going to meetings for seven, ten, even twelve years, but still haven’t got thirty days of food sobriety—abstinence—under their belts? I need to see abstinence at work. A. Actually your question feels less like an inquiry, more like an expression of your desire … Read More
Sponsoring Tools & Concepts She Was Right My sponsor told me God loved me just the way I was but also loved me too much to let me stay that way. I was full of self-doubt and fear yet wished to control myself and the world around me. I was dishonest—I lied, stole, embellished, gossiped, and I disparaged others to make myself feel better. I was 50 … Read More
Keep Coming Back Relapse Balance in Program The week before Unity Day, I made a commitment to call three people whom I had not seen in many months. I left three messages, and one called me back. She was happy to hear my voice, but said, “I just cannot stand to do all the work this program requires: the prep, planning, shopping, and precooking, and the reading … Read More
Abstinence Relapse Only Abstinence Food was my best friend for a long time. I had a troubled childhood, and excess food numbed the difficult emotions and gave me comfort. I managed to comfort myself up to 292 pounds (133 kg) by the time I was 26 years old, and I stayed close to that weight for five years. I tried every diet out there, … Read More
Keep Coming Back Relapse Skipped a Step OA is a Twelve Step program, and working the Steps is really the heart of our program. When I arrived in OA, I was somewhat familiar with Twelve Step programs. Most important, I saw program giving people peace of mind and sanity in their lives. I sometimes say I took Step Two before I walked in the door because I … Read More
Literature Tools & Concepts Right Sized I’m a relapse survivor. I was in OA for about five years in the 1980s. Though I was in a formal religious system, I had no personal HP, so it should come as no surprise that I never achieved any long-term abstinence or serenity. I was using OA as a diet club. Being a compulsive reader, I collected all the OA … Read More
Recovery Relapse Relapse & Recovery Astounded and Amazed I believe that a Power greater than myself can restore me to sanity because it has been proven to me over and over in so many situations. Moreover, I believe that only a Power greater than myself can restore me to sanity because I never could stick with any plan of eating when I was relying on my own Power. … Read More
Relapse Slipping & Sliding No-Apologies “Carefrontation” 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 … Read More
Relapse Relapse & Recovery Reworking the Basics How did I get to the point of isolation? I binged; I ate to numb myself from my problems and stress, my disappointments in life. I was embarrassed by my eating behavior and didn’t want to face my friends, so I withdrew. I forgot what I’d learned through working the Steps; I forgot because I stopped working them. I forgot … Read More
