Overeaters Anonymous is a worldwide support group comprised of individuals who assist each other in their goal to abstain from compulsive eating. Working with a sponsor and in group meetings, each member strives to gain an understanding of insights, actions and attitudes collectively known as the Twelve Steps. Groups function according to another set of principles, the Twelve Traditions. The program, which began in 1960 in Los Angeles, is now available through more than 6,500 groups in 75 countries.
Origins
Both the Twelve Steps and the Twelve Traditions of Overeaters Anonymous were adapted with permission from Alcoholics Anonymous. Bill W., one of the co-founders of AA, published a basic textbook in 1939, which detailed the Twelve Steps of recovery around which AA was built. In 1946, he compiled the Twelve Traditions, based on observations of the attitudes, practices and functions that were proving successful in the group's efforts to help members abstain from drinking. The AA format is now used by OA and other addiction recovery groups around the world.
The Twelve Steps
One's personal progression to recovery is governed by the Twelve Steps. Using the steps, members acknowledge the extent of their addiction and their inability to conquer it alone. Emphasis is placed on accepting responsibility for one's past and present actions and making reparations to others. The steps require ongoing self-examination and continuous efforts to correct behavior and attitudes that harm others or oneself. Finally, the steps encourage members to enact the principles of the program in all endeavors and to share the principles with other compulsive overeaters.
Emphasis on Spirituality
The concept of God is prevalent in the steps, although no particular theological definition of God is promoted. The phrase "God as we understand Him" appears twice, enabling people of any faith to enact the steps. The traits of humility, submission, and the desire to know and serve are emphasized. The program holds that an ongoing spiritual connection with and reliance on God is key to a successful recovery.
The Twelve Traditions
The Twelve Traditions encompass attitudes and actions that govern the groups of OA. They stipulate the autonomy of each group, with God as the ultimate authority. These principles support the common good and the unity of the group, for the sole purpose of helping its members abstain from overeating. Groups are self-supporting, maintain the anonymity of members, stay out of public controversies, and are prohibited from hiring employees. The traditions are intended to ensure the well-being of the organization so that it may continue its mission of helping its members recover from compulsive overeating.
Sharing the Steps and Traditions
People who are successfully abstaining from compulsive overeating by using the and Twelve Traditions often become sponsors to new members. Sponsors act as mentors who guide their charges in the personal application of recovery principles. By helping others, sponsors carry out the twelfth step, bringing the message to others with a similar addiction. They deepen their own understanding of the steps and reaffirm their commitment to these principles.
Tags: Twelve Steps, Twelve Traditions, abstain from, from compulsive, Overeaters Anonymous, Steps Twelve, Steps Twelve Traditions