Commitment and love are powerful experiences on their own, but when the two are combined something remarkable happens. This was not an overnight matter as many of us struggled for years with unbearable internal pressure. Our perfectionism led to distorted ideas as to what love and commitment were about. We could not live with these impossible standards and so we found a way out. Commitments then became painful reminders and we sought to escape them. Many of us doubted our
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This list is a list of volunteers who have stepped forward to support newcomers to the Fellowship or members who are struggling and who need extra support. The current members on the list have identified themselves as willing to be a contact for people who are in need of assistance. They are people who have experienced the struggle of having an eating disorder and who have recovered using the ABA Program.
“What do you mean by ‘sobriety’?” “How do you get sober?”
These two questions are probably the ones most commonly asked by newcomers to Anorexics and Bulimics Anonymous. Our unique path to recovery is based on our definition of the “drug” to which we are addicted, the concept of “sobriety,” and our common method of achieving sobriety by obtaining meal-support from other people. It is no exaggeration to state that our very existence as a united Fellowship depends upon these t
Sponsorship in Anorexics and Bulimics Anonymous: This document will not repeat what is written in our basic textbook on the subject of sponsorship, but rather will elaborate on certain other aspects of the subject and, in particular, provide specific and practical guidance to interested members.
Many people contact the GSA inquiring about how to obtain an ABA sponsor. Although we have no definitive solution to the vitally important problem of finding experienced sponsorship in a Fellowship as young and new as ABA, here are a few suggestions:
This document is intended to help people begin to use the ABA virtual meetings. Many people live in places where there are no in-person ABA meetings. Others may not have the ability to travel to in-person meetings. Our virtual meetings are an important means of outreach to these and all anorexics and bulimics who could benefit from our message of hope.
Meal-support is a vital component of ABA recovery. In our experience, in order to recover from this life-threatening illness, the ABA member needs to surrender all control over food, exercise, weight, and body shape to a Higher Power, who is working through
other human beings. In the beginning, meals and snacks need to be planned, prepared, and portioned out by someone other than the member herself (or himself).
I am a family physician who for more than two decades has worked with people suffering from eating disorders. In this work I have had the great advantage of being a recovered anorexic myself. I was fortunate not to die from this disease, which has claimed the lives of others whose clinical pictures resembled my own. Instead I have recovered, and the story of my personal healing journey is detailed in Chapter 2.
Anorexics and Bulimics Anonymous is an anonymous Fellowship of individuals whose primary purpose is to find and maintain “sobriety” in our eating practices and to help others find recovery. The only requirement for membership is a desire to stop unhealthy eating practices. There are no dues or fees for ABA membership; we are self supporting through our own contributions. ABA is not allied or affiliated with any other 12-Step Fellowship or outside organization.
Anorexics and Bulimics Anonymous is a 12-Step Fellowship and Program of recovery for people with eating disorders. ABA groups began meeting all over the world. At ABA, we support one another to recover from eating disorders. Each member shares out of her or his personal experience, strength, and hope.
This introductory pamphlet explains what Anorexics and Bulimics Anonymous is, how it understands eating disorders, and who it’s for. It also includes a brief self-assessment to help you reflect on your own experience and consider whether ABA may be a place to begin recovery.
