OverEaters Anonymous (OA) is an international fellowship of individuals who have an emotional and physical compulsion to overeat. OA is a twelve-step program, similar to Alcoholics Anonymous, which seeks to help members address their compulsive eating behavior. OA meetings are held in over 4,500 locations in 131 countries, providing a safe and supportive environment for individuals to discuss their challenges and successes with overeating (OverEaters Anonymous, 2021).
The OA program is based on the belief that compulsive overeating is a physical, emotional, and spiritual disease that affects individuals from all walks of life. OA offers a holistic approach to recovery by providing a supportive environment, tools, and resources to help members learn how to manage their compulsive overeating.
The OA program is designed to support members in their journey to recovery, with the goal of helping them develop healthier behaviors and relationships with food. The program includes a twelve-step process that involves admitting powerlessness over one’s compulsive overeating, accepting that a higher power can help restore sanity, and making a commitment to live a healthier lifestyle (OverEaters Anonymous, 2021).
In addition to its twelve-step program, OA also offers literature, online forums, and telephone meetings for members who are unable to attend in-person meetings. OA also provides resources for members who are struggling with medical, financial, or legal issues related to their compulsive overeating.
OA is a non-profit organization, and all OA meetings are free to attend. OA is open to anyone regardless of their religious beliefs or spiritual affiliations. OA does not offer medical advice or treatment, but rather seeks to provide support and guidance for those seeking to recover from compulsive overeating.
OA has been successful in helping individuals recover from compulsive overeating, and research has shown that members experience significant improvements in self-esteem and weight-management (Klock, 2018). OA has also been successful in helping members develop healthier relationships with food and improve their overall quality of life.
Overall, OA offers individuals a safe and supportive environment to recover from compulsive overeating. With its twelve-step program, resources, and supportive community, OA provides members with the tools they need to develop healthier behaviors and relationships with food.
References
Klock, S. C. (2018). The efficacy of OverEaters Anonymous: An empirical review. Eating Disorders, 26(5), 474-481.
OverEaters Anonymous. (2021). About OA. Retrieved from https://www.oa.org/about-oa/