Does anyone go to OA?

AtomicLemon

I think I may go. This food thing goes much deeper than I thought. I need help.

clothes_of_sand

Forgive me if this seems stupid, but what is OA?

verbifyvenus

Overeaters Anonymous

gurlondrums

@AtomicLemon I was thinking about going too. I think I have a problem as well. But I don't know anyone who goes. Maybe you'll get some replies with info on it.

And by the way, I love your Joker picture in your "pounds lost" meter. He's my favorite character.

AndriaLL

I've gone to a few meetings, once each for 3 different groups, in my area, and they were all too closely tied to religion for me. The website said they were not a religious organization, but that was not true of the 3 I tried. They read from the Bible and prayed and because of some personal experiences with religious people, I had issues with that. I know they differ by location, but three hours was too much to waste on looking in my opinion. I hope you have a better experience.

harmonyhouse

I belonged to OA for a couple of months. There were a lot of people in the group that were succesful with the program. There are different types of OA programs. I belonged to the one where they completely eliminate all flour and sugar (including whole grains). The reason I stopped going was because I still felt enslaved to food. The people who were succesful in OA always said that if they had one bite of sugar/flour then they would lose it and all the weight would come back... it made me realize that food technically still had control over their life. As an addict, food has had control of my life since I was little. I no longer wanted food to dictate my life anymore. I wanted to be at a point of being able to eat everything, in moderation, and learn how to be healthy without restricting myself from living.
There's nothing wrong with trying the meeting out and seeing for yourself if it's the right fit for you. Everyone is different If it is something that you are not comfortable with, I would suggest joining a local TOPS (Take off pounds sensibly) group. It's cheap and the support from your group is so important and encouraging during this weight loss journey.
Hope this helps and good luck! Addiction is a horrible thing but it can be broken. And remember... there is beauty in the breaking

AndriaLL

I also wanted to add that they ask you to try 6 different meetings to find one that works for you. I just felt with a full time job, 2 young children, old pets, etc., that 3 hours wasted was plenty. One of the 3 I didn't try might have been a more comfortable group to be with...

tam8374

I have been seriously thinking of joing OA. I really need some support other than online. I know the online support is great, but I think finding people with the same issue to meet face to face would be a great help!!