Today we are talking about those of you who are facing a decision that will affect innocent beings.
What to do when you don’t want to be vegan anymore?
There is quite a big percentage of people who will ask themselves this question. It’s important that we acknowledge that and seek solutions together.
The easiest thing is to judge ex-vegans, but those of us who are absolutely dedicated to not harming other beings have a responsibility to at least try and help individuals who are struggling.
I personally never doubted my decision of wanting to live this lifestyle. Once I opened my eyes it was over for me. I have to live according to my deepest values because this is something I care about deeply.
Maybe you are lacking support, or you are being bullied. Perhaps you are not feeling well and you are concerned about your health.
These are all very valid things to consider. And I want to help you find vegan-friendly solutions to them, not as a professional or a doctor, but as a caring member of the community that you are still a part of.
Let’s look at some of the reasons why you don’t want to be vegan anymore, and my advice on how to face them.
- Your friends and family are mocking you for being vegan.
If you are not a confident person who is used to standing up for themself, you will have to grow a spine and deal with it.
When we allow people to bully us and put us in the corner where we are merely an observant and not an active member of the community, it can push us into going against what we value and care about.
Those who are mocking you for being vegan are either embracing their mean spirited side, or they always wanted to remove you from their circle but the chance never arrived… until now.
I wrote about how to set boundaries with our family and friends here and here, but in short: Demand respect and announce that you will only hang out/talk to them on your own terms.
If they care about your relationship they will be willing to accept your new lifestyle and the rules you set about how you can communicate with each other, otherwise let them go and find a tribe that is not hostile to those who want to improve themselves.
- You have no one who is willing to talk about veganism and animal rights.
This problem is connected to the first one because if you had supportive people around you, there would be a time and a place to have honest conversations.
The beauty of the internet is that there is always someone who wants to chat about important and meaningful things.
Go on Reddit or forums and talk to people on social media.
If you want to find like-minded individuals in real life, volunteer at your local animal shelter, attend vegan events and picnics or seek people on Instagram (geotags exist for a reason) so you can slide into their DMs and invite them out for coffee.
Stop being stubborn and waiting for your friends to initiate conversations about veganism. There are thousands of people who, just like you, are craving someone who understands them.
Take the first step, you have nothing to lose.
- You are feeling ill and believe it is related to not eating animal products.
Now, because I am not a doctor I won’t give you medical advice.
But I will share three things with you that I noticed ex-vegans overlooked, probably intentionally.
One, avoid naturopaths, chiropractors, shamans or anyone who believes that cancer can be cured by juicing and that people are broke because they are not vibrating on the God frequency.
Two, identify the problems you are facing and what type of professional you need.
For example, your personal doctor can prescribe antidepressants but they don’t know if you actually need them or what your diagnosis might be.
That’s why you go to a psychiatrist who then recommends a psychologist who will test you and then you can talk about therapy and pills.
A personal doctor is great if you have a cough or a mild headache, but not to tell you what’s wrong with your gut, heart or throat. That’s the job of gastroenterologists, cardiologists and otolaryngologists.
Three, acknowledge where you might have failed.
Are you getting enough calories every day? Do you starve or have you eliminated certain food groups, such as carbohydrates or legumes? Are you taking B12 supplement and Omega 3s if you are not eating ground flax seeds, algae or walnuts?
A very disturbing amount of ex-vegans have a history of starvation, drinking their own piss and avoiding all fats (yes, even avocado).
Maybe rice is responsible for your stomach pain, or maybe you should stop drinking urine.
- You are not convinced by the science behind eating plant-based.
This is a normal reaction because we do get bombarded by thousands of different headlines that contradict each other every day.
But… you have to stop looking at headlines and what online doctors are writing, and read actual studies that are released by WHO, Harvard and other trustworthy sources.
When I read a book written by a plant-based doctor, I don’t just blindly believe it. I don’t care if someone is an MD or PhD because if the only person to back up their claims is a random Tatiana from the village, I am out.
To quote Carl Sagan: I don’t want to believe, I want to know.
The amount of evidence that shows eating a well balanced plant-based diet is good for my health is abundant.
I don’t care if eating a little bit of red meat won’t kill me, because you can say the same thing for cocaine and cigarettes.
The thing is, you can eat animal products in moderation if you are not interested in being vegan and be healthy, but if you do care about animal rights, I am happy to announce that eating plant-based is good for you.
We are not vegan because red meat is carcinogenic. We are vegan because it is proven that we can be healthy and ethical at the same time.
- You are questioning the ethical side of veganism.
This can happen if you forget about what happens in facilities that abuse, rape, torture, exploit and murder other animals.
Or maybe it’s not the meat industry that is bothering you, perhaps you are interested in hunting or backyard eggs.
If that is the case, let me introduce you to Ed Winters who is a British animal rights activist and debater. I don’t know what ethical issues you are questioning but I am positive you will find the answers you are looking for on his YouTube channel.
I think I covered the biggest issues people face when wanting to go back to paying for the exploitation of non-human animals.
Hey, if we want to seek the truth we have to speak the truth.
As I said at the beginning, this is simply my advice. I am not in your head and body so I cannot see the situation from your perspective.
I believe you are struggling and facing something that is making you reconsider your moral code, but at the end of the day, I am an animal rights activist.
I want to call things the way they are and address them logically, not emotionally. Too many ex-vegans lied and exaggerated about why they went back to eating pigs and cows, so I want to take your words seriously and work towards a solution.
When there is a will, there is a way, but way too often people just feel too ashamed to admit that they don’t care about murdered animals so they avoid seeking solutions.
I am not about that life.
If you want to remain vegan but the things I talked about above are truly making this lifestyle hard for you, you will go after the answers like a bull following a running man.
But if you want to quit, quit.
Just do one favour to trillions of individuals who are about to be slaughtered this year and don’t blame veganism for something that could be prevented or solved. If you want to eat fish and cows, just say it. Have the balls and own your decisions.
Millions of us are capable of thriving and we come from different backgrounds and countries; we are men and women; we are old and young; we come in all shapes, sizes and colors.
We are making it work because we are solutions-oriented, not blaming our alien body for being so different from the rest of humanity that only fish oil can cure our acne.
I hope this wasn’t too harsh but you know me by now, I keep it real. This is not the place for pussies who want to be cuddled and told that the world is to blame for their problems.
I take the blame for all my failures and mistakes, and that’s what I preach.
Someone said that you cannot wake a person who is pretending to be asleep and I have faith that you are honest and willing to get up when the clock starts ringing.
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Tanja
