Nassau County Intergroup of Overeaters Anonymous
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Have you ever wished you could lose ten pounds, twenty, forty, or a hundred or more? Have you ever wished that once you got it off, you could keep it off? Welcome to O.A., welcome home.
Have you ever felt out of step with the world? Have you sometimes felt like a homeless orphan without a place to really belong? Welcome to O.A., welcome home.
Have you ever wished your family would get to work or school so that you could get busy eating? Welcome to O.A., welcome home.
Have you ever awakened first thing in the morning and felt happy because you remembered that your favorite goodies were waiting for you in the fridge or in the cupboard? Again, welcome to O.A., welcome home.
Have you ever wanted to hide in the house without getting cleaned up or getting dressed, without seeing anyone, and without letting anyone see you? Have you ever hidden food under the bed, under the pillow, in a drawer, in the bathroom, the wastebasket or in the car, so that you could eat without anyone seeing you?
Have you ever sobbed out your misery in the dark just because no one loved or understood you? Have you ever felt that God (if he existed at all) made his biggest mistake when he created you? If you say yes, you belong to O.A., this is your home.
Did you ever want to get on a bus and just keep going, without ever once looking back? Did you do it? Welcome to O.A., this is your home.
Have you ever lied to yourself or to another about what you ate or how much you ate of it? Have you ever lied to your sponsor or another O.A. member about how you were doing on your program? Do you belong here? Is this your home?
Have you ever worn a mask, or hundreds of masks, because you were sure that if you shared the person you really were, no one could ever love or accept you? Welcome to O.A., welcome home.
No matter who you are, where you are coming from or are heading, you are welcome and accepted here. No matter what you have done. No matter what you have felt or haven’t felt. No matter where you have slept, or who you have slept with, or loved or hated – we extend acceptance. We accept you as you are today, not as you may be tomorrow. Only you can decide what you want to be. But we will rejoice with you, and when you slip, we will tell you that we are not failures, just because we sometimes fail. We will hold out our arms in love, and stand beside you, as you pull yourself back up and walk on again to where you are heading. You’ll never have to cry alone again, unless you choose to.
Sometimes we fail to be all that we should be, and sometimes we aren’t there to give you all you need from us. Accept our imperfections. Love and accept us in return, and help our sometimes failings. That’s what we are in OA – imperfect. Let’s rejoice together in our efforts, and the assurance that we can have a home if we want one. An O.A. home. Welcome to it.
Have you answered “yes” to several of these questions? If so, it is possible that you have, or are well on your way to having, a compulsive eating or overeating problem.
We have found that the way to arrest this progressive disease is to practice the Twelve-Step recovery program of Overeaters Anonymous. Overeaters Anonymous is a fellowship of individuals who, through shared experience, strength and hope, are recovering from compulsive overeating. We welcome everyone who wants to stop eating compulsively. There are no dues or fees for members; 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.
Is OA for You? Only you can decide that question. No one else can make this decision for you. We who are now in OA have found a way of life which enables us to live without the need for excess food. We believe that compulsive eating is a progressive illness, one that, like alcoholism and some other illnesses, can be arrested. Remember, there is no shame in admitting you have a problem; the most important thing is to do something about it.
Learn more about what OA can do for you by reading further.
Listen to inspiring, educational interviews with health care professionals and OA members about recovery through OA’s Twelve-Step program on “Sounds Bites From OA.”
Find out what happens at an OA Meeting or find a face-to-face, online, or telephone meeting.
(reprinted with permission from the World Service Organization of Overeaters Anonymous)