I haven’t, but I have found Katrina Ubells podcasts to be really helpful in slowly accomplishing what pp references. How to slowly start feeling your feelings, decoupling food from emotions, and working on your brain around these issues. Her coaching is based on CBT and she’s a doctor, so it’s very logical which resonated with me. Not solved, but I’ve made significant progress in a year of working on it and lost 30 pounds. But it takes consistent work. The goal is to quiet the brain chatter and desire for food.

I recently read the book, "Holy Hunger" and would recommend it. She references OA and some of the basic tenants. It helped her enormously. I went with a friend many years ago, it was a supportive group full of people who had attended for years. One if the basic premises is calling in your planned food for the day to your sponsor. And then no matter what stressor and pain you may face later in the day, the goal is to "not eat over it". In other words, if you eat emotionally, eating hss become a way to numb. OA is about you learning to feel again, to sit with uncomfortable feelings and to develop the capacity to be curious about them. Try an online meeting. Good luck

PP here who attended years ago

If you don't want to jump into a meeting - a lot of them are virtual now. You could try that see if it's your vibe.

Also you may find some of the literature helpful. On the website or if you Google OA literature tons will pop up. Maybe you find a mantra or some words of wisdom there

It’s mostly a scam.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I did used to overeat though. My therapist asked if my portion size was in a bowl or a box. That was helpful. Now I use a bowl or plate for everything.

I don't understand the significance of that question. There are pasta sized bowls, serving plates, etc. Plus you can put seconds, thirds, etc. on a plate or in a bowl. What did she even mean by a box?

I only have 1 bowl size that I eat with for cereal, ice cream, etc. So is my serving size a bowl of ice cream versus the gallon container of ice cream? Or is it the box of crackers versus a bowl of crackers.

Ahh, I understand now. Thank you for explaining.

I attended about a decade ago. Some meetings are topic specific

Ex. I used to attend the AN/BN GROUP - these were anorexia/bulimia specific

Once I accidentally attended a measure and weigh group- a part of OA has groups that promote weighing and measuring every ounce of food

That wasn't great for me at the time.

Open meetings were usually a mix.

I think something that surprised me was the diversity in the meetings. And how open and non judgemental people were.

I never got a sponsor but the more you go theore you see the same people and that was nice. Especially during a time where I didn't have much interaction with people.

It works if you work it- couldn't be more true. I think it's changed since Covid but 2003/4 in NYC you could find a meeting any day any time. So when I actually had urge to binge/purge or was on my way to hit up my suppliers ( bodegas and burger king) I could in theory take myself to a meeting instead. It worked sometimes.

Some meetings are closed. Some you can bring a support person/friend.

I think you should go. Overall it was a supportive place.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I did used to overeat though. My therapist asked if my portion size was in a bowl or a box. That was helpful. Now I use a bowl or plate for everything.

I don't understand the significance of that question. There are pasta sized bowls, serving plates, etc. Plus you can put seconds, thirds, etc. on a plate or in a bowl. What did she even mean by a box?

I only have 1 bowl size that I eat with for cereal, ice cream, etc. So is my serving size a bowl of ice cream versus the gallon container of ice cream? Or is it the box of crackers versus a bowl of crackers.

Anonymous wrote:I did used to overeat though. My therapist asked if my portion size was in a bowl or a box. That was helpful. Now I use a bowl or plate for everything.

I don't understand the significance of that question. There are pasta sized bowls, serving plates, etc. Plus you can put seconds, thirds, etc. on a plate or in a bowl. What did she even mean by a box?

I did used to overeat though. My therapist asked if my portion size was in a bowl or a box. That was helpful. Now I use a bowl or plate for everything.

there's a saying - keep coming back cuz it works if you work it. Work the program.

Probably. Never did OA, but found a ton of support in 12 step program. Made friendships, had sponsor, literature they sell at meetings. Helped keep me on track.

I am definitely an overeater. I sometimes (yesterday) overeat to the point of feeling very sick. Often when I'm eating, I'm thinking about what I'll eat next. Often when I'm making something to eat, I eat something else while I'm waiting for the first thing to cook. I am not a fan of group therapy. Are there are concepts anyone learned at OA that could help me?