When Should I Refer Someone to
Overeaters Anonymous?
– Continue to eat compulsively against medical advice to control their weight?
– Find that they cannot stop bingeing, purging, or restricting?
– Find their efforts repeatedly ending in demoralizing failure, even with firm resolutions?
– Have weight concerns, body image issues, food attitudes, or behaviours that cause health problems?
WHAT IS OA?
OA is a Twelve-Step program patterned after Alcoholics Anonymous that offers recovery for those who suffer from compulsive eating. Compulsive overeaters, anorexics, bulimics, and compulsive exercisers have all found recovery in Overeaters Anonymous.
OA members join together to share experience, strength and hope with one another to help solve this problem and help other compulsive overeaters do the same. The only requirement for membership is a desire to stop eating compulsively.
There are no dues or fees for OA membership. We are self-supporting through our own contributions. Our primary purpose is to abstain from compulsive eating and compulsive food behaviours one day at a time.
We do this through regular contact with other OA members, by attending OA meetings, by working the Twelve Steps and by studying the Twelve Traditions of Overeaters Anonymous.
OA is not affiliated with any public, private organization or religious organization.
To Referring Health Care Professionals
The OA approach to compulsive eating is a resource which can enhance—not replace—existing programs for your patients or clients. Many of our members also see doctors, nutritionists, psychologists, trainers, acupuncturists, yoga instructors, etc. as part of their recovery plan.
We strongly encourage our members to seek the advice of medical and nutritional professionals for guidance on a plan of eating and a healthy weight range.
Overeaters Anonymous does not concern itself with the medical aspects of obesity, anorexia, bulimia or compulsive exercising, but rather with the addictive nature of overeating and other eating disorders.
OA believes that compulsive eating is a threefold disease: physical, emotional and spiritual, which, like alcoholism and drug abuse, can be arrested, but not cured.
To assist in determining if a patient or client is a compulsive overeater, have them complete the link to 15 questions.
Why Refer Patients or Clients to OA?
Overeaters Anonymous is a proven program patterned after the Twelve-Step principles of Alcoholics Anonymous. Many of our members have reached and maintained a healthy weight by following this program of recovery. Because of our personal experiences of compulsive eating and recovery, we are able to offer understanding and support for other compulsive eaters.
As a health care professional, you may have patients or clients who are obese, overweight, underweight, or maintaining a healthy body weight, as well as issues around overeating, bingeing, grazing, bulimia, anorexia, or compulsive exercising.
You may also have patients or clients who have undergone some type of bariatric surgery yet may still not be able to control their compulsive overeating. Overeaters Anonymous offers hope and recovery to all people.
Newcomer Meetings for OA Referrals
All OA meetings are open to anyone with a desire to stop eating compulsively, and some meetings cater specifically to people new to the program. If you wish to recommend a patient or client to an OA meeting, all meeting information can be found on our Meetings page.
For more information about how Overeaters Anonymous in NSW and the ACT can help your patients or clients, please email info@oasydney.org.
Pamphlet: When Should I Refer Someone To Overeaters Anonymous?
To members of the helping professions.
Article: Professional Community Courier, Issue II • Overeaters Anonymous, Inc. • oa.org
