To me, the difference between living in abstinence and living with my compulsive food behaviors is the difference between living in freedom and living in misery. I don’t want to think back over the years when I was unhappy and hated myself, but I do want to recall the past 18 months that I’ve been working the OA program, even though I had two relapses, one of three weeks and one of four months.
Abstinence is the most important thing in my life. While I’ve been working the Steps, the contentment I have felt and my sense of self-love have been immeasurable. My whole attitude has changed: I’m happier and calmer, my sense of humor has returned, I have more energy, I deal better with setbacks, my ego is deflated, and I can think more clearly. This list is not exhaustive.
I stay in the moment each day, but I also look forward because I have a lot to look forward to.
—Christine, England
