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Frequently Asked
Questions |
What do you mean by compulsive overeater?
Must I be a certain amount over my normal
weight to come to OA?
I’ve failed at every diet. How can I prevent these
“slips”?
Will OA help me with a diet?
How can OA help me if I am bulimic or anorexic?
If I have a thyroid condition or a water retention
problem, how can OA help me?
How does an individual join OA?
How much does OA membership cost?
What
do you mean by compulsive overeater?
By definition, "compulsion" means "an impulse or feeling of
being irresistibly driven toward the performance of some irrational
action." It isn't only how much we eat that makes us what we are, but
the ways in which we try to control our food. Some overeaters eat in
secret, while others publicly flaunt their overeating. Some binge and
purge, while other alternate between overeating and starving. All
compulsive overeaters have one thing in common, however; they are driven
by forces they don't understand to eat more or less than they need, and
they eat this food in ways that are not rational.
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Must I be a certain amount over my normal weight to come to OA?
No. Experience has shown that OA works for almost anyone who wants to
stop eating compulsively, no matter what size the individual may be.
There are as many degrees of overweight as there are OA members, ranging
from normal weight to those who have hundreds of pounds to lose.
Whatever their weight, all who have a desire to stop eating compulsively
have equal advantages in coming to Overeaters Anonymous.
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I’ve failed at every diet. How can I prevent these “slips”?
No one fails in OA. As long as a person is willing to keep coming back,
recovery is possible.
“Slips”
into compulsive overeating do not need to happen in OA, but some persons
experience them. Although “slips” may be sometimes be brief, they can
also lead to eating binges and weight gain. Whenever a “slip occurs,
members are encouraged to reach for all the help available to them
through OA.
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Will OA help me with a diet?
For those who seek help with a diet, OA recommends consulting a
qualified professional. The OA program enables compulsive overeaters to
abstain from excess food one day at a time. Overeaters Anonymous,
therefore, supports any member who wants to follow a professional’s
nutritional advice.
OA is not
a diet club. Members recover by practicing OA’s spiritual program. They
find, among other things, freedom from food obsession, power to act
rationally in difficult situations, and a better way to live.
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How can OA help me if I am bulimic or anorexic?
All who decide they belong in OA are welcomed in love and fellowship.
Overeaters Anonymous supports each person’s efforts to recover and
accepts any member who desires to stop eating compulsively. When
individuals ask about medical matters, OA always recommends they seek
professional advice.
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If I have a thyroid condition or a water retention problem, how can OA
help me?
OA recommends that persons who need help with a specific medical
condition such as thyroid or water retention consult a qualified
physician. OA does not give medical advice. OA members who have suffered
with similar medical problems have found that the OA program enabled
them to follow a doctor’s recommendations with less difficulty.
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How does an individual join OA?
No one “joins” OA in the usual sense of the work. There are no
membership applications to be filled out. Once we have heard about OA
and believe we have an eating problem, we simply attend local OA
meetings of our choice.
It might
be noted that OA members don’t have to attend any set number of meetings
during a given period Some members may attend one meeting a week while
others prefer to attend more often when such opportunities are available.
The
kindly reminder, “Keep coming back,” is based on the experience of most
OAers who find that their recovery suffers when they stay away from
meetings too long.
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What are requirements for OA membership?
There are no “requirements,” in the usual sense of the term.
The Third Tradition states, “The only requirement for OA membership is a
desire to stop eating compulsively.” Nothing else is asked or demanded
of anyone. The acceptance and practices of the OA recovery program rests
entirely with the individual.
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How Much Does OA membership cost?
There are no financial obligations of any kinds in connection
with OA membership. This recovery program is available to all who want
to stop eating compulsively, no matter who much or how little money they
may possess.
From the pamphlet “Questions & Answers about compulsive overeating and
the OA program of recovery.” © 1979, 1988, 1999, 2001 Overeaters
Anonymous, Inc.
For more Frequently Asked Questions and Answers about OA, please visit
the OA World
Service site's Frequently Asked Questions page.
If you have additional questions, please contact
an OA member.
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