What Is ABA? A Simple Introduction to Recovery

If you’re new to Anorexics and Bulimics Anonymous, it can be hard to know where to begin. This introductory pamphlet offers a clear overview of what ABA is, who it’s for, and how recovery works within the Fellowship.

Anorexics and Bulimics Anonymous is an anonymous 12-Step Fellowship for women and men who struggle with unhealthy eating practices. The only requirement for membership is a desire to stop those behaviors. There are no dues or fees, and ABA is not affiliated with any outside organization or religion.

Our pamphlet explains how ABA understands eating disorders as addictions. It describes the powerful compulsion to restrict, binge, purge, or compulsively exercise, and the obsessive thoughts about food and body that often accompany these behaviors.

It also includes a 20-question self-assessment to help readers consider whether they may be struggling with an eating disorder. Many people find this section especially helpful because it moves beyond labels and focuses on lived experience.

If you are exploring recovery for the first time, or sharing information with someone who may be unsure whether ABA is right for them, this pamphlet provides a thoughtful starting point.

Download the pamphlet here: What Is ABA? (PDF) 

ABA respectfully requests that members printing these pamphlets for distribution have them printed on high quality yellow paper to follow what the organization had traditionally provided.