Quote:
Originally Posted by blog
OA is deliberately a group if people who are hurting and f@&&ed up.
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You're right Blog, addicts can be very mean, but together we can find lasting recovery. Nothing ever worked for me before OA, I tried 18 years of failed diets, exercise binges, 'diets' so restrictive they were just anorexia....nothing worked. Now I've been in OA over 8 months and have lost 25% of my body weight (I am now at the higher end of a healthy BMI range). I'm an atheist and a compulsive overeater, so I need to find a way to be in OA as an atheist.
I still struggle with the higher power elements of the program but have an atheist sponsor which really helps. I definitely feel the need to be in OA, because the things that drives me to eat are deep seated emotional issues. I absolutely cannot stop of my own volition, I'm glad I've found OA and it has made my life much better and not just for me, but for everyone who deals with me in daily life.
There is a freethinkers group I co-ordinate on yahoo under the name '12step freethinkers anonymous', this is a place for atheists, agnostics, and freethinkers to come and connect with others in the OA community who might be having similar issues with the Higher Power aspects of the program, or to share how they've successfully worked those elements.
I'm hosting my first skype meeting this Tuesday, 26th May 2015 (it'll be on Monday 25th May in the evening if you're in the USA). You can find it if you search skype for 'OAfreethinkers', the call is audio only and newcomers are welcome, all are welcome in fact! Hopefully I can get some members involved and make the meeting a regular thing.