I have found, thus far, on my 3 year journey into EDA, a different sort of recovery truth from the one I learned for 7 years in OA.
#1. It is about feelings, not food.
No, really. I am truly powerless over my feelings and how I react to them – namely through eating disorders and a myriad of other maladaptive behaviors.
In OA, I was deemed powerless over the food rather than powerless over my feelings and reactions. The implications of being powerless over food are discussed in subsequent points.
#2. It is about balance, not abstinence.
As I contemplated leaving OA, I was conflicted about the idea, but ultimately came down on the side of balance. A journal at the time summarizes it well:
Is it about the no? The abstaining? Or is it about the yes? The inviting Higher Power in? Instead of focusing on abstinence this time around, maybe, just maybe, I focus on inviting HP into my life. Being gentle and being ok. So recovery becomes about what I do do rather than what I don’t do. The focus shifts from the negative to the positive.
#3. EDA recommends sound nutrition and working with professionals – no rigidity or food elimination. OA endorses several food plans and has deep roots of food elimination and rigidity.
When I was in OA and following the food plan based around the elimination of sugar and white flour, I also weighed & measured all my food. In addition, I rigorously preplanned all my meals and texted the plan to my sponsor. If a change arose, I texted the change to them.
The result of living in this manner? Sure, my body changed. I also was inflexible and unable to adapt to life. I believe this story illustrates the sick relationship the rigidity caused me.
I came home expecting meal A. Instead, my husband (a professional chef) felt like making stew and had gone shopping and cooked. The ingredients were mixed together, so I couldn’t weigh & measure the macros. The meal wasn’t expected. I was in meltdown rather than heaven from my husband’s act of love.
#4. EDA recovery definition is free from diet culture.
EDA Recovery “In recovery we face life challenges without obsessing on food, weight and body image. This does not mean we never have food, weight or body image issues. In recovery, we have the same issues everyone else has from time to time. [….] Recovery means rebuilding trust with ourselves and others; taking careful risks to learn what is safe and good for us.”
OA Abstinence and Recovery: “Abstinence is the action of refraining from compulsive eating and compulsive food behaviors while working towards or maintaining a healthy body weight. Spiritual, emotional, and physical recovery is the result of living and working the Overeaters Anonymous Twelve Step program on a daily basis.”
#5. EDA broadens Higher Power into higher purpose.
EDA recognizes that the concept of a Higher Power is a roadblock for many that stops them from further exploring the 12 steps. Therefore, the concept of a higher purpose is introduced as an alternative to God or Higher Power. Higher purpose serves the same purpose of getting the individual into a service state of mind and exploring concepts beyond themselves: justice, love, environmentalism – the list is as unique as the individual creating it.
Words of Recovery 