The disease of addiction doesn’t limit itself to just alcohol and narcotics. Many people also deal with unhealthy eating compulsions, and those seeking help often end up in Food Addicts Anonymous (FAA). This program differs significantly from similar groups based on their separate attitudes towards abstinence, but it follows the groundwork laid out by other 12-step programs.
If you feel you have an unhealthy relationship with food, FAA may be a great way to overcome your addiction. It’s also possible, however, that an alternative program may better suit you. It may even turn out that 12-step programs aren’t effective for you. Therefore, it’s so important to understand Food Addicts Anonymous prior to seeking membership.
FAA is a 12-step program founded in 1987. This makes it one of the newer “anonymous” programs available to those with eating compulsions, and its goal is to help members overcome food addiction. Like other 12-step group-focused programs, FAA is based on the foundations set forth by Alcoholics Anonymous in 1935.
Unlike other organizations that center around unhealthy eating habits, Food Addicts Anonymous focuses on avoidance of specific types of foods. The program believes that food addiction is a biochemical disorder, and this means overcoming it isn’t accomplished through therapy or willpower alone. Instead, members must eliminate certain foods or significantly reduce them from their diet.
The basic rules are as follows:
Members of Food Addicts Anonymous must also keep track of their consumption and eat set proportions at specific times of the day. They gear these strategies towards removing addictive foods from a person’s diet that tend to leave them hungry. Since this occurs on a cellular level, food addiction isn’t seen as a flaw of character or morality.
Like other programs modeled after Alcoholics Anonymous, FAA subscribes to the Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions. These principles are nearly identical to those in other programs, but Food Addicts Anonymous also has their own Tools of Recovery. While FAA members are viewed as the most powerful resources, the following recovery tools are also essential:
Food Addicts Anonymous also resembles other 12-step groups based on its fellowship and mutual aid. Members share their experiences with one another and focus on bettering themselves and others in the group. The organization doesn’t subscribe to any specific weight loss or diet plan. Even the FAA food plan doesn’t define the program.
The FAA literature states that their food plan is just one part of recovery. They claim that recovery is only possible through support from other members and adherence to the Steps to Recovery. Studies have consistently shown that the group dynamic plays a significant role in the success of 12-step programs, so the organization’s claims hold merit.
Like any path to overcoming addiction, though, the success of Food Addicts Anonymous depends on the individual. Contact us today at Florida Addiction Treatment Center , and our certified staff of professionals can help you decide if the FAA program is right for you.
Just like other 12-step recovery programs, FAA has no significant hurdles for membership. In fact, the Third Tradition of the group states “the only requirement for FAA membership is a desire to stop eating addictive foods.” Loved ones of individuals addicted to food cannot become members, but remember that familial support is always a good thing.
There is no membership test regarding whether a person qualifies as a food addict. Food Addicts Anonymous does list several symptoms, however, that can help a person identify whether they may have a problem. There is no magic number of symptoms that indicates addiction, but any of the following symptoms could signify a need for help:
Any of these symptoms could point towards a food addiction. The last group of symptoms on this list, however, seem to suggest that Food Addicts Anonymous isn’t right for everyone. Some people feel offput by the idea of “spirituality,” and the fact that “God” and “higher power” are both mentioned within the group’s principles only compounds that belief.
In reality, people of all faiths make up the FAA membership roles. This includes atheists and agnostics as well religious adherents. While it is necessary to recognize something greater than oneself, this could be anything based on a person’s experience. Nature, the Universe, humanity, consciousness and science are just a few of the “higher powers” that members use.
No matter where you fall on the religiosity spectrum, you’re welcome at FAA.
Before delving into the effectiveness rates of Food Addicts Anonymous, statistics can be helpful in identifying those who could benefit from the program. This is because many people feel that a food addiction cannot exist unless a person is obese. This is an inaccurate belief and could lead to individuals with an addiction not seeking help.
Consider the percentage of individuals who fall into the following weight classes that have been diagnosed with a food addiction:
This shows that anyone could suffer from food addiction. Just how effective is Food Addicts Anonymous, though, in helping with this problem? Unfortunately, the scientific community doesn’t put as much research into process addictions as it does alcohol and narcotics abuse. And for FAA effectiveness statistics, research is nearly nonexistent.
When looking at research related to the efficacy of 12-step programs in general, though, the prognosis looks good. In fact, the American Medical Association stated in their ethics journal that these programs “are an appropriate mode of help for those seeking to quit an addiction but should not be the only approach considered.”
Research has found that the following factors can increase a person’s chances of success in programs like Food Addicts Anonymous:
What the research tends to show is that the effectiveness of Food Addicts Anonymous can vary significantly between individuals. This supports our focus at Florida Addiction Treatment Center that every addiction recovery plan should be tailored to the individual. Contact us today so we can get started on your customized path to recovery.
Whether Food Addicts Anonymous is right for you will depend on several factors. One of the most important is how you view your problem. There are several 12-step programs geared towards helping with food addiction, and each has its own focuses and strategies. When deciding whether FAA is your ideal choice, consider the following as well:
Each of these take a unique approach to dealing with compulsive eating disorders. It’s essential to do some research and find out which organization is right for you. If you’re suffering from such an addiction, though, you begin a program as soon as possible. The only definitive way to find out if groups like Food Addicts Anonymous are right for you is to attend a meeting.
FAA does list several criteria on their site, though, that suggest a person might be perfect for the program. These include:
If any of these criteria ring true in your life, consider attending a Food Addicts Anonymous meeting.
You’ll find a variety of meetings offered at FAA. These include online meetings which run 24/7 in a forum setting, face-to-face meetings, telephone-based groups and virtual gatherings. As one of the newest 12-step programs, there are fewer options for face-to-face meetings available. As of October 2020, for instance, several states had no local groups at all.
Due to the difficulties experienced by people battling addiction during coronavirus, though, virtual meetings became far more common. In fact, there are at least 12 of these gatherings held every week via Zoom. There are also 4-10 telephone meetings held daily. The moral of this story is that, if you want to find a Food Addicts Anonymous meeting, it’s a simple process.
Those who are trying to overcome food addictions often feel as if they’re on their own. The widespread belief that “personal responsibility” means fighting addictive behavior alone is false, but it still causes countless people to avoid seeking help. If you’re ready to take active measures in overcoming unhealthy eating habits, Food Addicts Anonymous may be able to help.
At Florida Addiction Treatment Center , we recognize that every addiction requires an approach customized to the individual. Reach out to us today, and we’ll help you better understand the best path forward for overcoming your food addiction.
Sources
FAA Food Plan
https://www.foodaddictsanonymous.org/faa-food-plan
Tools of Recovery
https://www.foodaddictsanonymous.org/tools-of-recovery
Frontiers in Psychiatry
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3207274/
AMA Journal of Ethics
Food Addicts Anonymous Meetings
https://www.foodaddictsanonymous.org/meetings
