Are You a Compulsive Overeater?
Now that you have found Overeaters Anonymous, you may want to make sure our program 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 behaviors make me or others unhappy?
- Have I ever used laxatives, vomiting, diuretics, excessive exercise, diet pills, shots or other medical interventions (including surgery) to try to control my weight?
- 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?
- Do I need to chew or have something in my mouth all the time: food, gum, mints, candies or beverages?
- Have I ever eaten food that is burned, frozen or spoiled; from containers in the grocery store; or out of the garbage?
- 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, OA can help.
Check out a meeting
Meetings allow us to connect and share on a group level. We have over 60 OALAIG meetings to choose from each week, both online and in-person.
Newcomer Pamphlets
Where Do I Start? Everything a Newcomer Needs to Know
Where Do I Start? packs key information about OA’s Twelve Step program of recovery into a single pamphlet, including the Fifteen Questions, Tools, Plans of Eating, OA Promise, AA Third and Seventh Step Prayers, “Welcome Home” story, and so much more. Visit this link to download a free PDF or email office@oalaig.org if you would like a free hard copy mailed to you.
Literature
World Service Approved Literature is available for purchase at bookstore.oa.org
Still Curious?
If you’re still not ready to try a meeting, listen to one of our podcasts, read about someone’s experience, or explore OA.org’s Working the Program page to find out more.