Tools of Recovery Archives

I Used Food to Outrun the Pain of My Childhood Sexual Abuse. But I’ve Found Empowerment in Overeaters Anonymous, and Now There’s No Need to Run

The sexual abuse that Blanca suffered as a child led her to gain weight in an attempt to make herself less attractive, and led later to multiple suicide attempts. Thankfully, her desperate attempts to outrun her pain were soothed and solved in Overeaters Anonymous. “My practice of the Twelve Steps leaves me with some very empowering ways of seeing life,” she says. “My smiles . . . . are coming from a place of inner peace, confidence, and happiness.

Goodies in the Break Room? I Made a Call for Help

When our job is stressful (or even when it isn’t), an announcement of snacks in the break room can create a moment of weakness. When it happened to Linda, she reached for two Tools, literature and the telephone, to keep her abstinence.

My Higher Power Wrote Back

Ten years into her program, Diane from Washington, D.C. USA found a Power greater than herself. When she started writing her Higher Power, she found the response was “exactly what I needed to hear.”

My Sponsors’ Suggestions Have Led Me to Recovery

“Without a sponsor,” says one OA member, “I would be unable to continue to recover.” But this OA member’s journey has meant working with many sponsors, and she has learned something from each one along the way.

Sharing My Solution: The Golden Gift of a Daily Routine

“In our area, we are struggling to attract and retain new members,” says Heather from New Zealand. “I have been mentored over the years . . . to share the solution. This writing is the service I can do today.” Read how Heather works her program daily.

A Child of War, A Joyful Recovery From Compulsive Overeating

Sam grew up in a time of war, when food scarcity was a real issue. When the war ended, Sam’s scarcity mentality and trauma did not . . . until he heard about OA. “It changed my life forever,” he says.

Interview with Isa, a Food Addict

Isa experienced food addiction and body image issues from early childhood. “I would have done anything to be thin,” she says. After topping 242 pounds (110 kg), she joined OA and knew right away she was in the right place.

What OA Has Done for Me

Mindy shares how Overeaters Anonymous transformed her life through surrendering to her Higher Power, working the Twelve Steps, and embracing a supportive community, leading to profound physical, emotional, and spiritual growth.

Reach Out: Support Within

An anonymous OA member writes in with simple ideas for Twelfth Step Within Day on December 12. “What support and encouragement can you offer a member who is struggling in program?”

First Things

After four and a half years in OA, Rachel had experienced both solid abstinence and a period when life’s challenges had her surviving but not thriving. “What really propelled me through,” she says of this challenging time in her life, “was working another set of Steps.”

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