Now, I don't want to get into too much detail because you can read her blog for the breakdown, but I know I exhibit several, if not most of these symptoms. Which would make me a food addict. Should be that cut and dry- but for some reason I'm struggling with this idea of me being a food addict. I honestly don't think I'm in denial, but maybe I am. I will admit that I have issues...but I don't think they are any bigger or more intense than any of my friends issues with food. I have so many girlfriends who have issues with food (if we're going off of these symptoms)- than I dare say most of my friends have some sort of issue. And some of them have much bigger issues with food than I do.
But what if I can admit that I have this "problem"? Even if my issues aren't big, if I can learn tools to help me, isn't that a benefit to me?
So I've been thinking about going to Overeater's Anonymous. Although I'm not big, and I do not believe I have big issues, I want to know what tools they teach you- so that I can learn something new and maybe apply those tools to my own life, and my own struggles when I have them. If it helps in even the smallest way, isn't it worth checking out?
And yet, something about it terrifies me too. I just keep imagining people sitting in these big circles in a cold room, crying as they talk about their addictions and the hold it has over them. I don't know if emotionally I'm in that dark of a hole, and I do get affected by other people's chaos pretty easily. I just don't want to fall further down the rabbit hole if I'm not that far down to begin with- you know? Does that make sense?
So I'll continue thinking about it. Has anyone been to OA? Can they shed any light on it for the rest of us???
D
I decided to give it a try a couple years ago. My first meeting was terrifying mostly because of the formality of the meeting. No body spoke without saying "I'm Brynn, I'm an over-eater..." then everyone would stop and say "Hi, Brynn." I was afraid to talk for fear I would do it wrong. There was so much business and not a lot of open communication. I was seriously afraid. I didn't want to ever go back but I decided that I should give it one more shot and so the next week I went back. It was the same story... the best part was that a lady stopped me in the parking lot and we just stood there and talked for more than an hour. We had a great conversation. I put a lot of thought into it and read their material and just decided that it wasn't the program for me.
ReplyDeleteYou can read about their 12 steps and program if you google it.
I guess that is what this journey is all about... finding what works for you and learning what your needs/issues really are. I want to tell you that your feelings are probably accurate and it may not be the road for you but that is something only you know.
Good luck! and have fun in Vegas!
The Twelve Steps of Overeaters Anonymous
ReplyDelete1. We admitted we were powerless over food — that our lives had become unmanageable.
2. Came to believe that a Power greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity.
3. Made a decision to turn our will and our lives over to the care of God as we understood Him.
4. Made a searching and fearless moral inventory of ourselves.
5. Admitted to God, to ourselves and to another human being the exact nature of our wrongs.
6. Were entirely ready to have God remove all these defects of character.
7. Humbly asked Him to remove our shortcomings.
8. Made a list of all persons we had harmed and became willing to make amends to them all.
9. Made direct amends to such people wherever possible, except when to do so would injure them or others.
10. Continued to take personal inventory and when we were wrong, promptly admitted it.
11. 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.
12. 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.
Step One: Honesty
ReplyDeleteStep Two: Hope
Step Three: Faith
Step Four: Courage
Step Five: Integrity
Step Six: Willingness
Step Seven: Humility
Step Eight: Self-discipline
Step Nine: Love for others
Step Ten: Perseverance
Step Eleven: Spiritual Awareness
Step Twelve: Service
I'm so sorry for including you in my emotional turmoil lately..just saying.
ReplyDeleteAbout OA, I've never been because I don't believe it's the place for me, but here's my thinking..you can go once..if you don't like it then just don't go back. Maybe their reading material can benefit you even if the meetings don't.
Hey Diz,
ReplyDeleteI went to OA many years ago for a short time, but I just couldn't get into it.
Thanks for asking about my job status. I did have a post up about getting two job offers, then I pulled it because I realized that I really shouldn't write about it until the conflict is settled. Currently, I've accepted one of the jobs, but I haven't told the other employer yet that I'm not taking their offer. They're a great group of people and I'm really going to disappoint them, I'm afraid, so it's not easy. I have to make the call first thing on Monday, so wish me luck. It's no fun to break bad news.
Good luck on your situation! I hope you get good news! Job-hunting and all the stuff that goes with it is so emotional. Plus, when you already have a job, it's like leading a double life.
One life is plenty enough for me.