There are meetings where personalities are put above principles. At the core of the program is experience, strength, and hope. Also some people have to attend 4-6 meetings to find their place, their sponsor. I find you get out what you put in. IMHO
I've been to one OA meeting too, and it left me a bit disapointed. I was new, I patiently heard everyone share their stories to help greet me, then they asked for mine, and cut me off part way through it to remind everyone that even though they don't ask for money that donations are accepted, then stood up to say a prayer, and everyone left! Needless to say I never went back to it, but have been tempted to try again. Maybe I just didn't find the group that was right for me.
Hunskie, maybe they thought you were finished talking? Sorry it was a bad experience for you! Remember that all the members in the group are people too, and they make mistakes and have bad days. But maybe another group would be better for you? The program is truly awesome and empowering! If you can't find a group in your area, check out the online meetings (you can find them by poking around at www.oa.org) and also check out the workbook. It's really amazing!
Chris, we went through these questions at our last meeting because there were four newbies. All of us were nodding our head at every question, and laughing at the end because it totally described all of us!
Thanks for posting it here...until we did it at our meeting, I didn't even know these were out there!
Compulsive Overeater. This is me and I don't know how to stop it. I was reading this and I can answer YES to all these. I feel like a something that is out of control. I hate who I have become and I don't know how to get back. Its not like I don’t know what is good for me and how to make better chooses. I get so hung up on how much weight I have to lose that I get discouraged. And now I feel like I’m at the point of no return. I ask myself all the time how did I ever get here? Sometimes I think I must not like myself. I have tried a number of things and they have never helped. Like I made a list of things that I would like to change about myself, tracked the food that I ate (but I would always give it up), have someone come up with a meal plan, and make charts that I thought would help. I’m not asking for pity but just a little help. I know there are no miracles out there but there might be something that would help. Thanks
I have no doubt that I am a compulsive overeater. I know that I can lose the weight if I but put my heart and soul into it. It is as if I need some accountablity to get jumpstarted.
Any support is truly welcomed.
Last edited by rochemist; 08-28-2004 at 08:19 PM.
Reason: Delete e-mail from spammers
Welcome SAPF125 we are glad to have you. If its okay I would like to move this to the "Our Stories Thread" and would you please joing us for friendship and support on our weekly thread? We all know exactly where you are coming from girlie!
So, I'm an overeater, an emotional eater, a binger, you name it, I've had it. But today, I've had it up to here (holds hand above head). Somebody please help me.
As I was exploring this board I came across the list re compulsive overeating. When I first started my wl quest, I would have had to answer 'yes' to almost all, if not every single one of the questions. Now most of them are answered 'no'. My main goal when starting back when was to 'lose this weight'. But before I did, I realized, for me, that I had to figure out why I ate 'like that' to begin with. Talking bingeing here mostly. What good would losing the weight be if I only gained it back again? After all, I had lost it before in the past. So my personal odessy began. That was a number of years ago.
I will be unable to tell you all I did to find relief of this problem, but it is not an overnight solution. It is not about the weigh per se, nor the food, but what we have been taught to believe about ourselves. What I did was to begin reading the books by Geneen Roth. A good place to start, skim them chronologically as they were written. They will give you a perspective that you are not alone, and that your behavior has causes and solutions (though geneens are not most current) Another excellent book is Laurel Mellins 'The Solution'. And her other book, 'The Pathway'. See if your library has any of them. There are others, but once you start reading, you will find your own path - look in the bibliographies of books you like for suggestions. I also loved the works of John Bradshaw, tho he deals with compulsivity rather than specifically food issues. (Just plug in the word 'eating' when he says alcoholism, etc.- same causes, different substance) There are also many other good books out there that will help. Also go to your bookstore to check out what is current. look in the sections dealing with food addiction, alcoholism, compulsion, etc.
Here is what happened to me. I discovered good things for and about myself I didnt even know I was looking for. I found true self esteem, self worth, self respect and confidence, joy and peace on a daily level. More than I ever dreamed was out there. Well worth the effort alone.
But I also found peace with food too. Although I am still heavier than I would like, about 206 now, I am down from my high of 250, and currently working on the rest. I no longer binge and havent for years, but nothing is forbidden to me. Food is in perspective now and I rarely even think about it unless my body physically asks for some. I used to think about food from waking till sleep almost non-stop. I am free from that thank goodness. And what freedom that is. Real life has crept in instead.
There is oh so much more I would like to relate to you, but I will finish by saying you can indeed free yourself from a life-long obsession with food and eating, but that it is up to you to do the work, and it is work. Some might also find benefit from outside counseling in this quest as well, though I did it on my own. It might have been faster with direction however.
Good luck to everyone who reads this. There is more to this than food/eating/and weight. Ya gotta look under some rocks.
Yes to most
Needless to say I never went back to it, but have been tempted to try again. Maybe I just didn't find the group that was right for me.
I was reading this and I can answer YES to all these. I feel like a something that is out of control. I hate who I have become and I don't know how to get back. Its not like I don’t know what is good for me and how to make better chooses. I get so hung up on how much weight I have to lose that I get discouraged. And now I feel like I’m at the point of no return. I ask myself all the time how did I ever get here? 
Sometimes I think I must not like myself. I have tried a number of things and they have never helped. Like I made a list of things that I would like to change about myself, tracked the food that I ate (but I would always give it up), have someone come up with a meal plan, and make charts that I thought would help. I’m not asking for pity but just a little help. I know there are no miracles out there but there might be something that would help. Thanks 
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