[iheartjacques]

Are the 12 steps really necessary?

[ajohnson45]

Yuck.....boy scouts I can't wait until I am 18 so I cannot be forced to continue it.

[waggiedog]

Hi there. I'm from London, UK so OA isn't anywhere near as common as it is in the USA and other english speaking countries. I'm 56 now and first started going to OA around 25 years ago, right after I had to give up on ''Weight Watchers''. I was doing real well with ''WW'' BUT, infact i liked going with my sister and liked the meetings and social side of it. What I diddn't know way back then is that I actually had undiagnosed Borderline Personality Disorder. With that come extremes in mood and the ''all or nothing'' syndrome. My huge weight loss was actually due to starving rather than the ''WW'' healthy plan. I began to binge and starve and my health was begining to suffer. Then came ''OA'', much better for me. To be honest I couldn't hack the 12 steps thing, too religious for me I guess. But years later and after an on and off relationship with OA, I got together with a chronic alcholic, he was on the AA programe and he couldn't hack the 12 steps. He only stopped drinking to get back with his EX, he went through de-tox and re-hab but as soon as he got out he was straight back on the vodka!! I don't think the 12 steps work for everybody, even though it's maintained that it's not religious, it sure can feel that way. xxxx

[ajohnson45]

Originally Posted by ajohnson45

Yuck.....boy scouts I can't wait until I am 18 so I cannot be forced to continue it.

Woops I didn't see the category. I thought this was about "Order of The Arrow"

[Star321]

Originally Posted by iheartjacques

Are the 12 steps really necessary?

I am in OA. Yes, the 12 steps are necessary. If you would like, join a telephone meeting: Mon - Thurs at 7:30 pm EST and later at 9:00 pm EST. Dial 209-255-1000 (enter access code "740111"). Saturday meeting 6 - 8 pm EST (same number and code).

[iheartjacques]

Thank you for this but because I'm deaf I can't do phone meetings. Not even face to face meetings because I can't hear what people are talking about. Hoping there's some kind of online text group or forum