Food addiction often leads people to overeat. Hence, Overeaters Anonymous was created to help those who suffer from food addiction. If you tend to overeat, the chances are that this group is an excellent place for you to learn that there are many others who have gone through what you’re going through and are recovering to live happier lives.

Overeaters Anonymous is not unlike other addiction treatment support groups, such as the world-renowned Alcoholics Anonymous. The concepts are basically the same, except that the focus is on food addiction. The addictions may seem different, but it is striking how similarly they impact people and the people around them.

Eating is often a social occasion.

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Overcoming Begins With Understanding

There are many varieties of food addiction. For example, bulimics eat like crazy and then vomit, which would be repulsive to most other types of food addicts. Most food addicts have triggers, but these triggers vary among food addicts. For some a lack of excitement triggers eating. Others eat whenever they’re depressed. The important thing is to understand when and why you overeat and to learn how to avoid that situation and how to make better choices when you’re in that situation. You must admit you have a problem in order to fight any type of food addiction.

Twelve Steps Here Too

Overeaters Anonymous employs the same twelve steps as those used in Alcoholics Anonymous. You even have someone else who functions as your sponsor to help you deal with and avoid those tempting moments that tend to get you in the mood to eat continuously. The purpose of this setup is for you to continually recognize that you have a problem with food and that you need to go through the whole process in order to gain self-control. You recognize that you cannot by yourself avoid overeating and need a higher power to overcome your addiction for you.

Moment By Moment

It takes time, and often trial and error, to learn how to fight your food addiction. You have to go through every step in the program and take each to heart. You cannot skip any of them, as every one of these steps has been proven vital to success in the fight against food addiction. Further, you are expected to abstain from any type of dieting until you have gone through the program. The focus is on living each moment in that moment, because every moment will have its own struggles and you cannot let your guard down.

Acceptance of Your Condition

Just as you must accept your condition, everyone around you will accept you. You must also learn to accept them without making judgments. After all, it is not like you are there because you’re perfect. The important thing is that everyone there is working to improve themselves and take control of their lives.

Maintain Anonymity

You must take the anonymous portion of Overeaters Anonymous seriously. Just as others will not discuss your membership and what you say outside of the group, you will not discuss their memberships and what they say with people outside the group. Who you are is not as important in this group as that you, like everyone else, struggle with food addiction.

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