u/AgeOk8349

First off I want to give a huge thank you for the multiple people who have recommended this book bc it’s absolutely amazing but it’s gotten me thinking abt a few things and I wanted to get some other perspective of people who are currently vegetarian and/or plant based on this.

I am currently someone transitioning into vegetarianism.

A great part abt this book that I enjoy is that it doesn’t shy away from the truth on BOTH sides. I like to hear perspectives from as many angles as I possibly can.

There’s a section in the book where I got to the author’s conversation he had with a retired factory farmer. And I really like how she emphasized her distaste for suffering but also put into another perspective about how there is a greater demand of meat produce all across the world more than there ever has been in all human history.

Considering that there are 8.3 billion people in the world, family farms would not be able to feed this many people. The way that animals are produced into food for humans through factory farms itself is a horrible issue. It kinda makes me think as someone who’s still explaining vegetarianism — would not eating meat really change anything? And I don’t mean that in a way that I’m trying to ignore its harm but also more so understand my own personal purpose.

I feel like the extremist views of “all who eat animals are evil” is just as bad as the extremist view of “we were born to eat meat.”

The more I delve into this topic the more complex and nuanced I realize it is. It’s not an “if this then that,” but just layer u keep peeling again and again.

Another thing that I really would like explore that the factory farmer emphasized was this (and I’m paraphrasing here): Why does the want for the taste of meat justify the act of killing animals? For example, there would be judgment, criticism, or disagreement for people who choose to kill animals or decapitate them for the showcase of art simply because want too or like it. (TW for the second example here): There would be the same distaste for someone is horny who chooses to r*pe another person out of sexual desire simply because they want too.

It got me thinking abt want/desire vs necessity in different scenarios.

Anyways I just wanted to get some opinions if you all had any.

Please be kind,

Thank you ❤️

Ok this is a very embarrassing post for me to make but things here stay mostly anonymous anyways and I wanted to ask for help since the whole point of this Reddit space is to decide to be better.

I wanted to stop using ChatGPT like completely. It’s crazy to me that this is even an issue but considering that it’s become something so integrated in other people’s lives and in the Internet in general, it makes sense.

I often use ChatGPT as a therapist or for school and I want to stop for both. I know it only tells me what I want to hear but I can’t help but feel like it’s still helpful in some ways.

I have a better support system now but when I was going through the most horrid anxiety induced thoughts when I was 15 (turning 19 this year) it was honestly the only thing I could confide in. Long story short, when it came to bad coping mechanisms and depression, it definitely helped me make some not so horrible decisions for myself when it felt like no one else really cared.

I’m much better now and I’m managing my anxiety, depression and chronic illness better, but it’s become a habit and I want to be able to release that habit.

When it comes to school I’ve noticed that I use it more as a crutch when my physical and mental health issues are enhanced to keep me going in academics.

I also find that I reach for it first thing when I feel like I need/want reassurance or validation. It’s not a matter of writing down or organizing my feelings but more so getting that immediate response. It’s sorta like instant gratification.

It definitely going to be hard. I’ve tried cutting it out cold turkey and I always end up going back.

Please be kind, any advice is appreciated

Thank you in advance❤️

Hi! I recently posted on here but I decided to try being vegetarian/plant based and I have been anxious about it — not for any reason in particular just generally.

I’m not someone who eats meat often in general so it feels like a weird transition bc it feels like almost no transition at all? I feel like in the beginning of it, I was very amped reading books, looking at information and documentaries but now it almost feels like flat for me.

I’ve been trying to form my own opinions on vegetarianism or going plant based. There are a lot of facts but also extreme opinions on it. One said says “meat is the way of life” and the other can say “meat is evil” and I disagree with both. I don’t believe that meat is the “way” of life I think we evolved to eat it because of geographical and evolutionary reasons but now that we have more resources, we don’t have too. I don’t believe that eating meat makes u an evil person either bc it depends on your health and resources.

I think the pressure on both sides or the pressure to have this “right reason” is turning me off honestly. I don’t want to stop bc I knew this would be hard but also NOTHING in my diet has changed.

Like I mentioned, I was always someone who enjoyed vegetarian or vegan foods before even deciding to put a label on it. The label makes it very solid and real. I want to try my best to help the world in this small way and I believe that’s the whole point (for me personally). Apart from that I also really want to enhance my health bc I feel like shit and eat like shit.

Idk if ur someone who experienced anxiety bc of the label and the expectations and the just telling people how did you deal with this?

Hi! I’ve been looking into nutrition lately bc I want to be healthier and It occurred to me that being vegetarian is healthier than being someone who eats meat.

I know that can be controversial and people can get very upset about that statement but I also feel like as someone who’s been eating meat for 19 years I was kinda like “well okay 🤷‍♀️” I’m not even sure if it’s 100% true but either way it’s a choice for what I put in my body.

Idk if it’s true or not but I guess what I’m wondering is why you all chose to be vegetarian.

I have a few friends in my life that are vegetarian and I’ve never seen it as a big deal I mean it’s just what u choose to eat but I also feel like people WILL view you differently if you choose not to eat meat and ur cultural food has a lot of meat within it (for reference I’m Nigerian lol).

There are times when I eat meat and I’m like okay this is good but there are other times when I REALIZE it’s meat? Idk how to explain. Like it makes me gag. I feel like I’m so used to it but I’ve just been questioning “why” I eat it? Idk.

I guess I’m trying to figure out my “why” behind it. Some people stop bc of their love for animals, some stop of health reasons, some stop bc of religious reasons.

I’m not someone who eats meat that often, I usually just eat chicken and beef but my God I hate pork and fish.

I feel like figuring out my “why” will help me understand what I’m going into. Plus I’ve always explored vegan and vegetarian meals and they are tasty so the whole “it’s not as good at meaty foods” thing is just a huge lie to me.

Looking forward to ur responses!! Thanks a bunch :)

This is a rant and I guess also an opening for any potential advice + discussion.

I’ve been experiencing OCD for the past 3 years and after a year or so of therapy it’s improved quite a bit for me. But I also can’t help but feel like I’m grieving a little bit? My OCD entails me not feeling like I can trust myself when I say that I’m lesbian. There’s a whole lot of other layers there when it comes to my sexual orientation — religious guilt, lack of self worth, self disgust.

But I miss being 13 and having my first crush on a girl. I’m 18 turning 19 this year and sometimes I look back on it and I miss that person. I remember trying to impress her constantly and texting her all the time. I remember getting so nervous whenever she said my name or laughed at my jokes which made me want to make her laugh even more (all the corny stuff like that lol). I remember how happy I was when I found out she liked me too.

I hate that it feels like the only answer to this is to accept this uncertainty. Apart from missing my somewhat regulated brain, I miss telling people I was gay with such confidence and normalcy. And I miss talking about my sexuality with such pride and excitement.

I want to believe that I can get that person back again but I’m just dissapointed because I know that even if I do there will always be this layer of acknowledgment towards what my thoughts were like before and all that uncertainty. I know u never know what’s gonna happen in the future but I miss FEELING sure. If that makes sense.

Anyways I just wanted to say if ur someone out there experiencing OCD in terms of sexual orientation just know that ur experience is valid. No one can tell u that ur intrusive thoughts towards SO OCD isnt “that bad” compared to other OCD themes because this is (surprisingly) something that has been said within this community. OCD intrusive thoughts are irrational. And things do get better but the process can be absolute hell and even tho i have improved, I don’t feel “safe” enough to have crushes on people or date. I’m no longer excited.

As dramatic as this may sound, I feel like I’m grieving my lesbianism even tho it hasn’t gone anywhere. I’m so angry at the slightest possibility of a change in that because I want to be with women. I want a gf and a wife and kids with my wife. But it makes me sad that this may be a future I might not get — one that makes me so happy at just the thought of it. I am protective of it and it just makes me deeply sad. It’s not even just anxiety anymore, I’m just angry like it almost feels unfair.

I’m exploring this question currently because I’ve realized that it’s blocking any sort of connection I want with God. I don’t consider myself religious but I have had my own fair share of health issues (chronic pain/fibromyalgia) despite being someone who was healthy for a long time and ate generally healthy foods.

Maybe this is my way of making sense of things, but when people say things like “humans have free will” I can understand that in the case of war and abuse but in scenarios of cancer, chronic illnesses (e.g., diabetes type 1), natural disasters (e.g., tornados, tsunamis, floods) there is only so much that humans can do in situations like that.

I think the thought of a God doing something like this to humans honestly hurts. It’s a vulnerable thing to admit and a tough pill to swallow but it’s one of the many things I’ve been exploring in my own personal journey with God that’s been stumping me..

Anyways, thanks for reading this far and I look forward to hear all your views :)

Please keep it kind lol

This is literally a cry for help at this point. I have tried so much to help me balance this. I am 18 and my brain just feels so tired.

I started experiencing chronic pain three years ago after a bad OCD flareup. I’ve been trying medications and they haven’t really done much. I’ve been trying to do more yoga, eat differently, going to therapy, going to doctor’s appointments and I hate doing it but it doesn’t feel like anything is really helping.

I want to do so many things and I’m not saying my life is over but I’m just getting so worried because my brain feels so heavy and tied constantly. I have two weeks where the pain almost felt manageable. And now it’s back and I’ve been having pretty big flares for the past few days.

I feel like I have absolutely no control here and it’s scary feeling how exhausted my brain feels from literally everything. I go to sleep and wake up feeling just drained even if I slept early and got 9-10 hours of sleep. It’s not just pain it’s fatigue.

I will try anything at this point to get rid of it. I’m tired of treating just the symptoms?? My OCD has even gotten so much better and I’m managing my anxiety better. But the pain is still there.

Any advice will help