Next OAUKEB Intergroup meeting: Thursday 2nd May 6pm BST
What is Overeaters Anonymous (OA)?
OA Preamble
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 compulsive food behaviours and to carry this message of recovery to those who still suffer.
Reprinted with permission from the World Service Organization of Overeaters Anonymous.
Copyright Overeaters Anonymous. All rights reserved.
Do you have a problem with food?
Take this quiz to see if OA is right for you.
Don’t worry, the answers to the questions are just for you – no one else will ever see them.
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 that 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.
Our Invitation to you
We of Overeaters Anonymous have made a discovery. At the very first meeting we attended, we learned that we were in the clutches of a dangerous illness, and that willpower, emotional health and self-confidence, which some of us had once possessed, were no defense against it.
The 12 steps of Overeaters Anonymous
In Overeaters Anonymous, the Twelve Steps serve as the spiritual principles that support our personal recovery from compulsive overeating.
Here are the Steps as adapted for Overeaters Anonymous:
- We admitted we were powerless over food — that our lives had become unmanageable.
The 12 traditions of Overeaters Anonymous
In Overeaters Anonymous, the Twelve Traditions
aid us, individually and collectively, in maintaining unity of purpose within the Fellowship.
- Our common welfare should come first; personal recovery depends upon OA unity.
The 9 tools of Overeaters Anonymous
- A Plan of Eating
- Sponsorship
- Meetings
- Telephone
- Writing
- Literature
- Action Plan
- Anonymity
- Service
The 12 concepts of Overeaters Anonymous service
In Overeaters Anonymous, the Twelve Concepts of OA Service, adopted by the World Service Business Conference (WSBC) in 1994, help us apply the Steps and Traditions in our service work, which is an important part of the OA program. The Concepts define and guide the practices of the service structures that conduct the business of OA. These Concepts depict the chain of delegated responsibility we use to provide service throughout the world.
All are welcome
The fellowship of Overeaters Anonymous encourages and promotes acceptance and inclusivity. All are welcome to join OA and are not excluded because of race, creed, nationality, religion, gender identity, sexual orientation, or any other attribute. We welcome all who share our compulsion. Everyone with the desire to stop eating compulsively is welcome in Overeaters Anonymous.
Frequently asked questions
Q. What is compulsive eating?
Q. How can I tell if I am a compulsive overeater?
Q. I’ve failed at every diet. How can OA prevent these “slips”?
Q. Can OA help me if I am bulimic or anorexic?
Q. Can’t a compulsive overeater just use willpower to stop excessive eating?
Q. What is meant by “a Power greater than ourselves”?
