Overeaters Anonymous is a Fellowship of individuals who, through shared experience and mutual support, are recovering from compulsive overeating. We welcome everyone who wants to stop eating compulsively. There are no dues or fees for membership; we are self-supporting through our own contributions, neither soliciting nor accepting outside donations. OA is not affiliated with any public or private organization, political movement, ideology or religious doctrine; we take no position on outside issues. Our primary purpose is to abstain from compulsive overeating and to carry this message of recovery to those who still suffer.

Editorial Policy: Opinions expressed herein are those of the writers and not of HMI or OA as a whole, unless otherwise noted. We reserve the right to edit all submissions with the intent of preserving the 12 Steps and 12 Traditions of Overeaters Anonymous.

"The Fellowship" of Overeaters Anonymous recognizes the existence of individual approaches and different structured concepts to working our Twelve Step program of recovery; that the Fellowship is united by our disease and our common purpose; and that individual differences in approach to recovery within our Fellowship need not divide us.

"The Fellowship" respects the rights of individuals, groups, and intergroups to follow a particular concept of recovery within Overeaters Anonymous and encourages each member, group, intergroup, and region to also respect those rights as they extend the embracing hand of Fellowship to those who still suffer.

"The Fellowship" encourages each duly registered group and intergroup and the various regions to affirm and maintain the Twelve Traditions of Overeaters Anonymous by allowing any member to share his or her experience, strength, and hope in meetings regardless of the individual approach or specific concept that member may follow. Duly registered is defined as being in full compliance with Bylaws Subpart B Article IV.

"Hi, I'm Wendy, a compulsive overeater. Thank you for sharing, Carolyn. It was great to hear how you worked the steps on the job and were able to ask for a raise. You've really made progress since you joined OA. I took similar action yesterday. . ."

Many OA members would not regard a comment like this as cross talk, and there is no precise definition in OA literature. In the Suggested Meeting Format, however, it's associated with giving a response or recommendation to another member while sharing: "We share our experience, strength and hope in OA; cross talk, and advice giving are discouraged here." The Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions of Overeaters Anonymous elaborates on this idea: "We may feel that we 'just have to share' our advice with someone in a meeting. Tradition One tells us to curb those impulses for the sake of the group. . . . Ideally, OA is a place where . . . we don't try to confront or fix each other in the groups." Sharing anything other than one's own experience, therefore, could be considered cross talk.

"But comparing my situation to another member's is the way I reaffirm I am a compulsive overeater and no different than anyone else in the room!" Wendy might say. "It's difficult not to respond to a member who shares emotionally. Part of helping another compulsive overeater is extending my heart." Undoubtedly, there are two beneficial elements of OA meetings - we come to participate in the camaraderie and sense of family that exists among members.

At the same time, however, we cherish an OA meeting room as one place where we can safely express ourselves, without the hazard of judgment from others. Commenting on a member's pitch jeopardizes this freedom, since you can't predict how that member will interpret your comment. Instead, why not offer a hug or pat on the shoulder or talk with the person after the meeting? All of these are equally effective and more personal ways to communicate your compassion. By focusing on your experience, strength and hope while sharing, you'll help another member feel more comfortable doing the same.

From World Service as reprinted in The Oasis, February 1998

When I first came to OA, it seemed a simple thing to admit that I was powerless over food. My weight was out of control. I went from dieting to bingeing, sometimes in a week or a month – sometimes in one afternoon. Every "fat" dress hanging in my closet was witness to the fact that I couldn’t stop eating

The Solution was easy. Take Step One. Admit to my OA group and to myself that I was a compulsive overeater. For a while, it worked. I became abstinent and lost weight. Gradually the "fat" dresses were replaced with sleek new outfits that told the world I loved the way I looked and that I was proud to be me.

I discovered, though, that my slim figure was no guarantee my life would run smoothly. I attended meetings where I scarcely heard what was being said because I was so preoccupied with some problem. The hopelessness and depression that followed my attempts to control the uncontrollable began with my emotions and ended with my had in the refrigerator.

In desperation, I returned to Step One. For the first time, I realized the truth of it’s second part—not only was my food unmanageable, so was my life. I have no control over what my family members do, what my boss does, or what the driver in front of me does, who is cruising down the road at 10 miles per hour below the sp3eed limit. In fact, I have no control over what I do, unless I choose to work the other Eleven Steps of the program. For me, this is a very gradual process that begins with my letting go of the control and turning it over to my Higher Power.

At times I take it back, and the insanity returns. These times are a reminder that I have more to learn. After 14 years in the program, I’m still coming back to my precious OA group, still letting go and still learning. S.F., Lake Worth, Florida USA – Reprinted from Lifeline January 1999.

I came to my first OA meeting a little over seven years ago. I can still remember hearing the talk about God. I thought I had stepped into a church. It must have been my Higher Power that kept me at that meeting, because the only thing that came to my mind was, "Forget this God stuff, just tell me how to lose weight." I had a real struggle with realizing that OA is a spiritual program.

Fortunately for me, I hung around, and OA members led me to the "Big Book" and pointed out to me that I did not have to accept another’s conception of God (page 46). They suggested that I do just as was suggested to Bill W., choose my own conception of God (page 12).

This was a really novel concept to me. I had no idea how to begin. I only knew that I could not turn my will and my life over to the care of the God I was raised with. I had always felt that God to be too conditional and judgmental. I simply could not trust that God.

Again OA came to my rescue and suggested that since that old God did not work for me, why not fire Him? But, I was afraid to let go of anything that might help me. How was I to know what to keep and what to throw away? I was directed to the "Big Book" again and shown that I could give up lifelong conceptions. It would not be easy, but it could be done (page 42).

So, I set about to design a Higher Power just for me. What did I need in a Higher Power? What did I need that Higher Power to do for me? Did this Higher Power need to be male, female or neither? Is this Higher Power an energy, a light, a warm feeling, gentle arms cuddling me?

I finally found the answers to these questions and more. I now had a custom-designed Higher Power but didn’t know what to do next. OA friends led me one more time to the "Big Book" and showed me that there was plenty of room for me and my personal Higher Power in OA. Members convinced me that we would not be excluded. I had to seek out my Higher Power (page 46), and so I did.

Thanks to you, I now have a Higher Power that I believe in and trust. I don’t know how to explain my Higher Power to you, other than it works for me. And OA welcomes me and my "Designer HP" to meetings. – S.I., Salt Lake City, Utah USA – Reprinted from Lifeline February 1998

I was convinced that I had reached Step Three. I believed that a) I was a compulsive overeater and could not manage my life; b) no human power could have relieved my compulsive overeating; and c) God could and would relieve it, if I asked. The next question for me was how do I do this? What do the words of Step Three mean?

I learned that Step Three is about making a decision to choose a course of action. I had two choices: to go on bingeing, starving, and living a life riddled with fear and denial; or, to choose a spiritual path. My sponsor reminded me where my past thinking (self-will) had gotten me — in rehab, fighting for my life!

My fear of turning my will and life over to God made me think that perhaps He would send me away. Once again my sponsor shared with me that I could not be any worse off with God than I had been when I tried to run the show – hurting people and creating pain and suffering for me. Chances were that if God (as I understood Him) directed my thinking, it would become better, and so too would my actions. If this were true, my whole life would become better, but if I left my life to my self-will, it would stay the same.

I began to understand that I was the problem. I was struggling to be a self-willed person in a God-directed world. It had to be my way, on my terms. When I hurt people, I created conflict and caused them to retaliate against me. My self-will needed balance.

I found it humbling to realize only two wills existed, mine and God’s. My dominant self-will blocked me from God’s will for me. With so much self-will destroying me, the only way I could correct it was to give it back to God. I learned that self-willed people cannot correct their own self-will, only God can, because it is God given. Hence, God will take back my will only if I make a decision to give it back to Him.

My sponsor directed me to the "Big Book," page 63, which said that if I gave myself to God’s will, remarkable things would follow, and that, as my new employer, He would give me what I needed if I stayed close to Him and did His will. In so doing, I would become less involved in myself and more interested in seeing what I could contribute to life. I could actually be useful, while enjoying peace of mind. Realizing that I no longer had to fear my future, I opened my mind to a willingness to take action.

I learned that being reborn meant being reborn in my mind, a psychic change sufficient for me to recover from my disease of compulsive overeating. – K.R., Kallangur, Australia – Reprinted from Lifeline March 1998

It’s 3a.m. I wake up feeling anxious and afraid. I thought I heard the fridge mischievously whispering my name. If I don't get help soon a binge is right around the corner, and my abstinence is right out the window!

In the darkness of my room, I switch on the computer, feeling comforted by the monitor’s glow. I dial up my Internet provider to check my e-mail. Maybe I will find an encouraging message from my sponsor…

"No new mail," sneers the message on the screen. Desperate, I activate my Web browser and, trembling, type in "Overeaters Anonymous." I click "search."

As my computer whirs and hums, I close my eyes and whisper a prayer to my Higher Power: "Please, help me find the support I need. I’ve come so far, and I can’t do this alone."

A new window appears on the screen, and I am staring at pages of listings with those two magic words. "Wow! We are everywhere," I think to myself. I scroll down and click on "Overeaters Anonymous World Service Organization." The familiar logo pops up, and suddenly I don’t feel so alone. I look at the buttons on the left of the Web site: "About OA"—well, I already know about OA. "Find a meeting"—I have a regular meeting. "Lifeline," I’d seen that at meetings, but I never subscribed. I don’t have time to read magazines. And why is it here on-line? Curious, I click the button with my mouse. "Lifeline magazine sign-in," I read, "…available in two version, the regular 30-page printed magazine and the electronic on-line magazine." I continue reading. "Click here for a sample issue of Lifeline."

I can’t believe this – Lifeline right here on my computer, at 3 a.m. when I need it most!

I click for the sample issue, and there before me is a smiling orange sun and the words "Body Beautiful." I smile back at my good fortune.

On the right of the page are the issue’s topic stories; on the left are features, like "The Spiritual Path" and "Stepping Out," and departments, including "Share It." "Ask-It-Basket" and "For Discussion and Journaling."

I scroll down the contents page, and I can’t believe what I find. "Sanity Exchange: Take this inventory the next time you are tempted to break your abstinence." I am sure my HP is inside this computer, showing me just what I need to see.

As I read the story from a fellow OA member, I feel a calm envelop me. I choose abstinence and recovery once again.

I click back to "Home" and peruse the rest of the magazine. With each reassuring click, I find another inspiring thought-provoking share.

Then I click on "Other Publications" and learn of OA’s newest book, A New Beginning. If I choose, I can click again and go to the catalog to order it.

I am convinced Lifeline on-line is both a comfort and a convenience. I click on "Subscribe to Lifeline" and discover that the cost for me is much lower than the paper version, since I am currently living overseas. I save $22 a year!

I click back to OA’s home page and go again to "Lifeline magazine sign-in. "I choose "new on-line subscription and enter my information, credit card number, and my own password. I’m in! Lifeline at my fingertips, whenever I need it. And the archives page will give me the previous issues so I can always refer back to my favorite stories.

The sun is peaking over the horizon when I finally shut down my computer. I could go back to sleep for another hour, but I am too energized. I feel ready for another day of abstinence and vitality. Thank you, HP, for your gentle guidance, helping me to see that the support I need is there if I ask for it. And thank you Lifeline on-line, for getting me through a rough night. – Reprinted from "A Step Ahead" Fall 1998 (WSO Publication)