[rstleshrt]

I'm also thinking of going to a meeting. I was hoping someone could fill me in on their experience but, as I read, it doesn't seem like anyone has an experience with OA. So, if I get brave enough to go this week, I will let you know what happens.

Tried WW, didn't work. Tried hundreds of diets but am a compulsive overeater who purges and totally identifies with the Geneen Roth collection of books.

I know I need to lose weight, move my body but I feel so far gone that the thought of starting the process makes me venture towards the refrigerator.

I can pretty much list all the reasons why I eat but how do you move on from here?

Rstleshrt

[teach93]

I would be most interested in your experience if you do go to a meeting.

I would also like to do this and thought my town hospital had one only to find it had been disbanded. There are two meetings in my area, one 60 miles to the west and one 45 miles to the south. The one to the south obviously is closer but is on Saturday morning.

I have read quite a bit of OA material, but I am sure it isn't like being there. I hope you are in a location that is more accessible.

Let us know how it goes!!!

Elaine

[houndlvr1]

THIS IS GOING TO BE A LITTLE LENGTHY

Hi - I've attended OA and actually posted some of my experience in a reply to PACMAN earlier this week but here is what you can expect at OA meetings.

At your first meeting you REALLY don't need to do much other than introduce yourself (Hi - my name is X and I'm a recovering overeater). From that point on the usual format is:
Reading 12 steps of OA
Reading OA Bylaws
Working a step (I'll explain in a minute)
Recognizing new members with a small "token" - usually a coin type item that has the serenity prayer on it.
Recognizing members that have attended "X" numbers of meetings.

Sharing in a round robin format for 5 mins each. VOLUNTARY by the way so you don't feel like you're opening up too fast to a group of total strangers.

From this point on depending on how big a group is you may split into 2/3 smaller groups and the topic usually is working on a step.
For example, if the step you're working on is a forgiving step you acknowledge that you've been less than open to people who have tried to help you but in a negative way (you know - that group of people who serve desert to everyone but you because they think they're doing you a favor when really they're just embarrassing the bejeepers out of you). In this step you would sort of "absolve" the person for being a creep and also "absolve" yourself for feeling badly about the way you reacted to them and then you get past it and forget it by allowing them and yourself to have human failings & forgiving them.

After you have your group split, you reconvene for final words.
Sometimes someone reads a poem, or affirmation that helped them during the week.

If you need a sponsor you usually will be approached by someone who realizes you are new. Your sponsor is your point person who checks in with you daily and keeps you honest by sharing their own experiences and giving you gentle guidance when you need it. If you don't like that sponsor it's perfectly ok to decline them or move on if you feel that their input is not what you're looking for. Just remember most sponsors can't be lied to - they suffer from the same thing you do and are just as adept at telling themselves fibs so they recognize all the "bs" in the book. They've told the lies, too.

A group hug and something like "keep coming back it works if you work it, so work it coz you're worth it" is the final step (no pun intended) of a "typical" OA meeting.

They're not FUN but they aren't meant to be - they're for people who all share one thing - the need to recover from a life threatening dependency. Some meetings are hard - people cry openly, some are angry, some are hysterically funny but they all have something you can learn from and they all are open to sharing.

If you go to OA online you may see some things there that give more insight (if this BOOK isn't enough!)

If I can help you email me at [email protected]

Hope this helped