Thinking about becoming a vegan

[Rufus1992]

Hi,

Last few weeks I have seen a lot of documentaries about being vegan and what it can do to your physical en mental health.

Last few years I have had some problems with my mental health and I am wondering if people experience with it.

The mental health issues I had the last couple of years are as follow:

- No self confidence
- No discipline
- Not enjoying life at all

I also have/had some drugs problems. I have used for a couple of years and in the last 2 months I have used it twice so it is going better, but can becoming a vegan make me stronger in this and over come my problems?

I hope to hear from someone soon.

Grtz.

Rufus

 

[Nashorn101]

I just went Vegan last week, more for ethical reasons behind the treatment of animals in the meat industry, but also for the health benefits.

I got a lot of entree ideas from my cousin who works at a restaurant and is vegan himself - so it's been an easy transition. With that being said, I don't feel like I'm carrying around a bunch of extra weight anymore, compared to when I used to eat eggs and red meat almost daily. I felt like **** every time I ate eggs or meat.

I too am having personal / depression problems at the moment, and so far, going vegan has given me a great boost to my mental psyche because now I can say I am apart of a very small group of people who have the discipline not to eat animal products, when it's extremely hard to do so in today's society. I feel better that I'm not supporting the torture of farm animals. My pocket book is heavier now. It's making me a better cook. And it makes me feel way more confident about myself - you know I can say "yep, I'm not apart of the, what? 90% of people who eat meat and animal products" - also because I intend to lean up (by eating much less saturated fats from those animal products) and gain muscle simultaneously by working out; 1/3 American adults are overweight or obese. When you go to the lake or the beach, you see the evidence of that. So, if you become vegan, I imagine that, even if you already are lean, you'd lean up even more. I bet that'd make you feel way better!

Go for it dude! The worst thing that can happen to you is that you just try it out.

 

[Jamie in Chile]

The problems you have likely go deeper than your diet. I think you should try and go to a vegan diet for ethical and environmental reasons as well. It is also worth a try for improving your mental health, because there is a chance it could work, but I would not rely on this. Some people do experience improved mental health, but many feel about the same. It is possible that learning about compassion to animals might improve your mental health but that may be fanciful. Good luck. PS I am not much of an authority on this, a lot of what I've learned has been from forums like this.