12 step program for compulsive eating

After earning her degree in Professional Writing and Business at the University of New Mexico, she began as an editor and designer at the WSO, and then managed the publishing division for many years before being promoted to Managing Director in All Rights Reserved. Oct 24 Promo Bookmark Show. Email Host. Copy Url. Episode Directory. While they are not professionals, they can provide members with their own experiences and suggestions on how to work the program successfully.

Whenever a member has a question or wants to confide in somebody one-on-one, a sponsor is a good person to help guide them through the recovery process and give them a better understanding of how the program works. Newcomers to Overeaters Anonymous can purchase any of the literature online. It is individually up to each member of the program to identify whether or not they have a problem with compulsive eating. Some symptoms that members have used to identify their own problems include:.

Overeaters Anonymous offers individuals a safe place for members to never feel judged; there is never a weigh-in or daily check on progress; it is simply a program for individuals to start working with the help of a strong support system behind them. It is important for individuals that they understand they are not alone when battling this addiction. Finding others who understand their problems and can share their own experience, strength and hope to help find solutions is a crucial part of the recovery process.

Although members have the opportunity to create their own meal plans to help guide their daily eating habits, Overeaters Anonymous does not focus on making a diet plan or offering diet tips as these ideas can actually intensify the compulsion to want to eat. Compulsive eating is about more than just what members eat; it is a physical, emotional and spiritual illness that can only begin being healed when the recovery process has started.

Many members have to abandon the idea that they simply need willpower; they have to admit their inability to control their compulsive eating habits. In order for the recovery process to start, members need to change their inner selves, not just their outer selves or what they eat when it comes to battling their addiction. In the program of Overeaters Anonymous, members can find unconditional acceptance and support from existing members who are struggling with the same compulsive eating problems.

Overeaters Anonymous has no costs, dues or fees for membership. The only requirement for membership is the desire to stop eating compulsively. The group is self-supporting through their own contributions, so outside monetary donations are never accepted. Members can have the opportunity to give what they can, when they can, during meetings. The fellowship is not a religious organization , nor does it require its members to identify their higher power as God.

The program bases itself on the acceptance of some spiritual principles, but a higher power is defined by each individual as something to help them free themselves from their compulsive eating addiction. There is no right or wrong answer. Everyone is able to identify their concept of a higher power as whatever they choose to be. There are face-to-face meetings available all over the world. Newcomers are encouraged to use the meeting directory page here to find a meeting nearby.

In the case that any physical meetings cannot be attended, the meeting directory page has identified virtual and phone meetings so everyone can continue going to meetings regularly. It is not up to the existing members of Overeaters Anonymous to help individuals identify whether they have a problem or not with compulsive eating. Each member makes this decision on their own.

The official website has a short questionnaire that can help people decide whether or not they are struggling with a compulsive eating addiction. Answering the following questions can help members figure out if they are struggling with compulsive eating addiction.

Made a decision to turn our will and our lives over to the care of God as we understood Him. Made direct amends to such people wherever possible, except when to do so would injure them or others. Sought through prayer and meditation to improve our conscious contact with God as we understood Him , praying only for knowledge of His will for us and the power to carry that out.

Having had a spiritual awakening as the result of these Steps, we tried to carry this message to compulsive overeaters and to practice these principles in all our affairs.

For our group purpose there is but one ultimate authority — a loving God as He may express Himself in our group conscience.

Made a searching and fearless moral inventory of ourselves. Admitted to God, to ourselves and to another human being the exact nature of our wrongs. Were entirely ready to have God remove all these defects of character. Humbly asked Him to remove our shortcomings. Made a list of all persons we had harmed and became willing to make amends to them all.

Made direct amends to such people wherever possible, except when to do so would injure them or others.