Jade always knew that food played a larger part in her life than her family or friends and being slightly overweight led to bullying and name calling at school. Seeking isolation where she could eat without criticism led to her increasing weight over school holidays, exacerbating the problem. Being a fairly good student meant that Jade could continue achieving and made it through secondary school and into Uni but the increased freedom meant more anxiety and led to more isolation and eating. Jade was introduced to Overeaters Anonymous in her early twenties but didn’t get the concept of powerlessness at first, instead tried self-control but her weight only increased. She married and had one child before her weight problems resulted in a miscarriage and the realization that her eating was the real problem. With a new sponsor in OA Jade knuckled down to work the 12 Steps, found that her compulsion to eat had finally diminished, went on to lose 80Kg and retain that loss over a few years. She is grateful to OA for helping her overcome her eating obsession so she can now enjoy a normal life with her young kids and it has improved her relationships with family friends and work colleagues.

If you’re experiencing difficulties in life as a result of your relationship to food and eating then Overeaters Anonymous could help you. Checkout their website: oa.org.au.