Overeaters Anonymous (OA) is a fellowship of individuals who, through shared experience, strength and hope, are recovering from compulsive overeating and compulsive food behaviours by working the Twelve Steps. The only requirement for membership is a desire to stop eating compulsively. There are no dues or fees for members; we are self-supporting through our own contributions, neither soliciting nor accepting outside donations. OA is not affiliated with any public or private organization, political movement, ideology or religious doctrine; we take no position on outside issues. Our primary purpose is to abstain from compulsive overeating and to carry this message of recovery to those who still suffer.
OA is open to anyone who wants to stop eating compulsively.
If you have tried to achieve a healthy body weight through many methods, only to fail repeatedly, or if your inability to control your eating is beginning to frighten you, then please consider attending an OA meeting.
At OA meetings, you will find others who have the same concerns and who share your feelings. Chances are you will find many of the answers you need. Overeaters Anonymous is a simple programme that works. There are no fees or registrations. We are self-supporting through our own contributions. The only requirement for membership is a desire to stop eating compulsively. Now that you have found Overeaters Anonymous, you may want to make sure our programme is right for you. Many of us have found it useful to answer the following questions to help determine if we have a problem with compulsive eating.
Do I eat when I’m not hungry, or not eat when my body needs nourishment?
Do I go on eating binges for no apparent reason, sometimes eating until I’m stuffed or even feel sick?
Do I have feelings of guilt, shame, or embarrassment about my weight or the way I eat?
Do I eat sensibly in front of others and then make up for it when I am alone?
Is my eating affecting my health or the way I live my life?
When my emotions are intense—whether positive or negative—do I find myself reaching for food?
Do my eating behaviours make me or others unhappy?
Do I fast or severely restrict my food intake to control my weight?
Do I fantasize about how much better life would be if I were a different size or weight?
Have I ever used laxatives, vomiting, diuretics, excessive exercise, diet pills, injections, or other medical interventions (including surgery) to try to control my weight?
Do I need to chew or have something in my mouth all the time: food, gum, mints, sweets, or beverages?
Have I ever eaten food that is burned, frozen, or spoiled; from containers in the supermarket; or out of the rubbish?
Are there certain foods I can’t stop eating after having the first bite?
Have I lost weight with a diet or “period of control” only to be followed by bouts of uncontrolled eating and/or weight gain?
Do I spend too much time thinking about food, arguing with myself about whether or what to eat, planning the next diet or exercise cure, or counting calories?
Have you answered “yes” to several of these questions? If so, it is possible that you have, or are well on your way to having, a compulsive eating or overeating problem.
In Overeaters Anonymous, you’ll find members who are:
OA members experience many different patterns of food behaviors. These “symptoms” are as varied as our membership. Among them are:
Our symptoms may vary, but we share a common bond: We are powerless over food and our lives are unmanageable. This common problem has led those in OA to seek and find a common solution in the Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions of Overeaters Anonymous. We find that, no matter what our symptoms, we all suffer from the same disease – one that can be arrested by living this programme one day at a time.