I'm skipping my OA meeting

I have gone to three meetings and just feel uncomfortable.  It's just like your kind of thrown to the wolves.  First day, Okay - well tell all your problems to the group of 15 who have been comming for years and all know eachother.  I really want to go and feel comfortable.  I will try a different meeting during the week.  I hear the format may be different.  Where is the OA for dummies meeting? 

Well my brother... I have to agree with you....it may be the best tool in the world, but if you don't feel comfortable with their structure....you don'g get the benifit... I agree also, look for another meeting....maybe ask about the newbie to oldie ratio...and wheather there is a moderator....councilor... go get 'em Russ

I'll do that.  I also have to make time for my WLS meeting.  Very comfortable and probably 60/40 women to men.  Thanks

Hey Scott, Russ is right about finding what works for you. I'm a big fan of 12-step programs in general, but not all meetings and groups are right for all people. One thing to keep in mind is that some part of you senses or feels an attraction or need for OA, don't give up on it. Try another meeting or maybe give yourself another 2 or 3 tries at the meeting you're not clicking with. If its members are standoffish or just not actively friendly and welcoming then the program's not working for them--or they're not working it. And as I posted before, about 20 years ago I tried OA and--sick guy that I am, I left every meeting with a ravenous appetite, so on my way home I'd drive through Mickey D's or Burger King and enjoy (truly enjoy) a Big Mac or Whopper with a large chocolate shake and fries! Needless to say, I wasn't ready to deal with myself. Damn that was good eating! I better stop writing about it or I'll obsess over forbidden foods all day. That said, we have a couple of family friends who have benefited from OA.

Thanks Doug.  I agree that I shouldn't give up on it and should get to more meetings.  Everyone is friendly enough but I just don't like to talk in front of people.  Especially in that situation where I feel like an outsider.  I will give it another try or at least another meeting another try.

Call the OA number listed in your phone book and see if they have any men only meetings.  I used to go to one in North Jersey and it's the only time the program worked for me.  It was a large group--minimum of 60 men during the week and a step meeting on another day with half as many.  If a man's group isn't listed in your area, check out larger metro areas that you can get to. 

I've always wondered just how successful a 12-step program can be when it comes to eating ..  I'd say O.A. is the only one of the addiction programs that pertains to something that is not only perfectly natural for the human body but essential to survival (i.e. eating food) ..   I mean I can see how much easier it would (or should) be to resist the temptations for "unnatural" things like drugs, alcohol, smoking, etc.  but seems like food would be something else entirely, since hunger is biological ..  (almost akin to "Overbreathers Anonymous" or some such) ...  (?)

That was one of my questions when I entered it.  With drugs and alcohol, you can just never use it again.  Not that it is that simple but the concept is that simple.  With food, you have to eat.  There is no way around it.  I do think that probably everyone could use a 12 step program for something.  It seems to me that it's about being honest with yourself and introspection.

They used to say that "sugar" was the thing you had to cut completely. Is it still that way now?