Type 6 (The Loyalist) and Step One:
Type 6s are driven by the need for security, certainty, and support from others. For them, working Step One in Overeaters Anonymous means acknowledging how their desire for safety and control has contributed to their food issues, often using food to manage anxiety or fear.
- Admit Powerlessness Over Food as a Way to Manage Anxiety:
- Type 6s frequently turn to food as a way to calm their constant worry and anxiety. Admitting powerlessness means recognizing that food isn’t solving their fears, and it’s contributing to an unmanageable life.
- Step One asks them to admit that their coping mechanism for anxiety (overeating) is no longer working.
Reflection question: “How have I used food to soothe my anxiety and fear, and how has that led to chaos in my life?”
- Recognize the Unmanageability of Trying to Control Everything:
- Type 6s often overthink and try to anticipate every possible outcome, which can make them feel overwhelmed and lead to unhealthy eating patterns.
- Admitting unmanageability for a Type 6 means acknowledging that their need to control their food habits (and everything else) has resulted in the opposite—chaos and unpredictability.
Reflection question: “How has my need to control food and other aspects of my life made things more chaotic and unmanageable?”
- Acknowledge the Role of Fear and Doubt in Food Choices:
- Type 6s may use food as a way to distract themselves from their fears or to feel more secure when they feel uncertain.
- Admitting powerlessness means recognizing that overeating has not protected them from uncertainty but has added more stress to their life.
Reflection question: “How have my fears and doubts driven me to overeat, and how has that increased my sense of powerlessness over food?”
- Surrender the Need for Reassurance and Control:
- A Type 6’s need for reassurance from others or from external sources can drive them to unhealthy food habits. Admitting powerlessness means surrendering this need for constant control and learning to trust a Higher Power.
- Letting go of the need to always be prepared or in control is an essential part of working Step One.
Reflection question: “How has my need for reassurance and certainty led me to overeat, and how can I begin to trust a Higher Power with my fears?”
- Trust in the OA Process and Community Support:
- For Type 6s, working Step One involves trusting in the process of OA and relying on the support of the community. Their tendency to distrust can make this difficult, but surrendering to the process is key.
- Learning to rely on others and trust in the OA structure can bring them a sense of safety and security that they’ve been seeking through food.
Reflection question: “How can I begin to trust the OA process and rely on the support of others, rather than trying to manage everything by myself?”
Summary: Type 6s can work Step One by admitting that their attempts to use food to manage their fears and control their life have only led to more chaos and unmanageability. By trusting in the OA process and relying on community support, they can begin to let go of their need for control and find peace in surrendering to a Higher Power.