Overeaters Anonymous is a peer support group for individuals struggling with compulsive eating. In February 2025, a new meeting for LGBTQ+ people started in Outhouse, Dublin, which now runs every Monday from 7:30pm to 8:30pm.

GCN spoke to the organisers to find out more.

What is this group about and who is it for?
Overeaters Anonymous (OA) is a fellowship of individuals who, through shared experience, strength and hope, are recovering from compulsive overeating. The only requirement for membership is a desire to stop eating compulsively. There are no dues or fees for members; we are self-supporting through our own contributions, neither soliciting nor accepting outside donations.

OA is not affiliated with any public or private organisation, political movement, ideology or religious doctrine; we take no position on outside issues. Our primary purpose is to abstain from compulsive eating and to carry this message of recovery to those who still suffer.

Have you tried over and over again to control your eating and weight, but nothing has worked? Compulsive overeating, under-eating, food obsession, anorexia, bulimia, binge eating, or over exercising… no matter your challenge with food or body image, you are welcome here. 

1. We are for anyone struggling with food or trying to determine if they have food issues.
2. We believe compulsive eating is a disease like alcoholism is a disease. 
3. Our life-changing approach is physical, emotional, and spiritual, and based on the Twelve Steps of Alcoholics Anonymous (AA).

The LGBTQ+ OA Group Meeting is open to anyone who wants to stop eating compulsively.

Why is it important for people who are struggling with eating to talk about it with others?
Overeaters Anonymous is a community of people who support each other in order to recover from compulsive eating and food behaviors. We welcome everyone who feels they have a problem with food.

We offer unconditional acceptance and support through OA meetings. We in OA believe we have a threefold illness—physical, emotional, and spiritual. Tens of thousands have found that OA’s Twelve Step program affects recovery on all three levels.

You no longer have to carry the burden alone. Society may say that if you had a little more willpower, you could do this on your own. But compulsive eaters react differently than normal eaters to food. For us, there is no such thing as just one bite. 

You will be welcome. You’ll find you are not alone anymore. Everyone at the meeting knows where you’re coming from about food. 

You’ll meet others like you with a simple first-name introduction and be genuinely welcomed. 

Meetings give us an opportunity to identify our common problem, confirm our common solution, and share the gifts we receive through this Twelve Step program. In addition to face-to-face meetings, OA offers telephone and other types of virtual meetings that are useful in breaking through the deadly isolation caused by distance, illness, or physical challenges.

Many members call, text, or email their sponsors and other OA members daily. Telephone or electronic contact also provides an immediate outlet for those hard-to-handle highs and lows we may experience.

What impact does the group have on its participants?
John, 40, Dublin: For as long as I can remember, food has been the single most important thing in my life. As a child, it consumed my thoughts, and this obsession only intensified as I grew older. My weight increased steadily, and I found myself trapped in a cycle of overeating that I couldn’t break.

Throughout my life, I tried everything to control my eating habits and lose weight:

• Countless diets
• Self-help books
• Counselors and therapists
• Personal trainers
• Hypnotists
• Psychologists
• Consultations with my GP
• Meal replacement programs
• Diet pills and fat-burning supplements
• Intense exercise regimens
• Mindfulness practices
• Relocating to different cities and countries

Despite these efforts, nothing provided lasting results. I might stick to a diet for a few weeks or even months, but I always relapsed, gaining back any weight I had lost and then some. The desire to eat followed me wherever I went, regardless of my emotional state or circumstances.

A turning point came nine years ago when a friend who had joined Alcoholics Anonymous explained the program to me. As I listened, I realised that while I didn’t have a problem with alcohol, I exhibited similar behaviors with food. This revelation led me to Overeaters Anonymous.

Attending my first OA meeting was eye-opening. For the first time, I heard people sharing experiences that mirrored my own:

• Eating in secret
• Visiting multiple shops to avoid judgment
• Constantly battling with weight and body image
• Lying to friends and family about eating habits
• Cycling between binging, purging, and restrictive dieting

In OA, I learned that I had an illness – a physical allergy to certain foods coupled with a mental obsession. Surprisingly, this diagnosis brought relief. After years of seeking expensive solutions from doctors, diet clubs, and specialised counsellors, I found a supportive community offering help at no cost.

The Twelve Step program of Overeaters Anonymous provided the solution I had been searching for. With the guidance of a sponsor, I worked through the steps, and gradually, the obsession with food lifted. I stopped eating trigger foods, addressed the physical aspect of my addiction, and began enjoying nutritious meals without obsessing over them. I haven’t eaten compulsively in over eight years (or even wanted to). This is a miracle. 

The impact of OA on my life has been profound:

• My weight has returned to a healthy range
• My relationships with family and friends have improved significantly
• My career has flourished
• I’ve developed a positive body image and self-esteem
• My confidence has soared
• I feel like I’m contributing meaningfully to society

Now, I have the privilege of helping others recover by sharing my experience as a sponsor. Joining OA has not only saved my life but has also transformed it in ways I never imagined possible. It’s the best decision I’ve ever made, and I’m eternally grateful for the program and the community it provides.