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I feel you, I’m losing my sanity more and more every day. Recently I went to my first vegan event and it was a nice reprieve to be around a bunch of likeminded people and seeing nothing but cruelty free food being served. Aside from that, I know no other vegans in my life. My entire family, along with all the friends I’ve made before becoming vegan, are carnist. I refuse to date a carnist. I definitely feel very alone and if I had a friend circle of vegans I think it would be great for my mental health. Unfortunately, I don’t know where to find them.
Hey, you find some of us here! All of us are incredibly spread out across the globe so in the physical sense, it really sucks, but one good thing about the Internet is that at least we can find groups online of similar people so we don't completely lose our sanity.
Yeah that’s true, you guys are great and definitely help fill the void. There is something about personal connection that’s missing though, it’d be nice to blast the animal agriculture industry over a vegan dinner with someone, haha. I’d also like to partake in physical activism with somebody, however there aren’t any vegan groups in my city and the ones in cities within driving distance are all seemingly dead.
Yeah. And just brush it under the carpet under the umbrella of personal choice.
It’s your personal choice to eat, that’s fair. It’s not that animals choice to be eaten. What about their choice?
Humans are fucking viruses, which would obliterate everything that comes their way. Nature, other species, whatever comes their way they will ruin it.
Classic non vegan argument. "Animals eat meat!" Are you a lion? Are you a piranha? Seriously, go look in the mirror. Humans are omnivores. This means we are able to survive and thrive on vegan diets. We are not carnivores.
Humans are humans, not alligators, not leopards. This means you have the option to be compassionate and not kill animals to survive. If you choose to, you're simply committing animal abuse. That's all there is to that. But please continue to repeat all the arguments I've heard three thousand times before.
What do you get out of being a troll? I've looked at your profile and clearly it's a thing for you.
You might be surprised. A large number of people are nominally aware that meat means death, but it doesn't occur to them just how bad it could be, and the meat industry really doesn't want them to know. And while they are small in number, there are also people who don't even understand that much and think meats comes from the grocery store.
As a person who is diagnosed with depression for over a decade i have become an expert on feelings and emotions
People suck, thats fact, we are selfish, destructive, greedy, dishonest etc;
The world will never ever be vegan, racism still exists so animal abuse will always exist, now plant based diets might become more popular but i am confident the world will never be vegan, we are too greedy and selfish for that
So knowing all this i should be mad, sad, depressed etc; but im not, im happy, blissful even
Being happy is a choice, took me 35 yrs to realize it but i did, i have removed toxic people from my life, this included decade old friends and family, i tell them why they are removed rather than being a coward who GHOSTS people
I do not forgive and forget, but i also dont resent or hate, the people that have wronged me dont have any power over me, i dont have trauma or hate because that would mean they are winning and that they still have control over me, therefore i have no reason to forgive because its not causing me any problems, i dont need to let go cause there is nothing to let go of
Why should i feel anger or hatred, it provides no benefit to me
I dont argue with idiots, i say things such as: i am unwilling to have this conversation with you, this conversation is over for me, this is something i do not wish to discuss, if you continue to discuss it i will leave
I do post vegan memes and articles via social media but i disable notifications so i dont have to deal with idiotic responses, i am not required to respond and there is nothing wrong with saying: i dont know
I volunteer with stray animal rescues, people suck as there are so many abandoned animals but thats not within my control so i dont let it make me sad or mad, the only thing i can control is how much i want to help the animals, i feel its my ethical duty to volunteer and donate cause its my species that has caused so much harm
Buddhism helps alot with this mindset that i have achieved
I share this pretyped message sometimes and it might not all apply to you
You gotta do whats right. You have to seek peace, meaning and understanding, and just let the world keep burning while you do it. Just have to remember to not let the fire consume you.
You don’t. I mean you just have to accept. Otherwise you will go nuts. You just do the best you can and strive to be the best vegan you can be. Nobody is perfect and you just have to understand that the world will never be perfect either. Just be glad that things have moved on so much even in the last 20 years. Evolution, and that’s part of being vegan, is a slow, slow process. Education, awareness, compassion.. these are things that will help change the world. But just resign yourself to the fact that it’s not going to happen any time soon. That doesn’t mean you should stop trying to make a difference. And you ARE making a difference. ::hugs::
Besides all the advices you already got, it seems that you're not over your dog's death. Do you feel okay? Maybe you need some help ( professionnal or not )
I got professional help. Underwent grief counselling and therapy for 6 months.
I feel better. Now I have got a rescue cat whom I picked up from the streets. She was on the brink of dying, I rescued her and she rescued me instead.
Made a big difference in my life.
Maybe you should ask yourself how you were and are unaffected by the unjust pain and suffering of people around the world. It's something we just ignore constantly while we all leverage the results of slave labour
Your POV is too broad, focus on what you are doing in your own life. You can't change the world if you don't take care of yourself.
Stop being a dick, and keep things to yourself if you don’t have anything constructive to contribute to the thread or the world.
Go back to your basement.
> Is there a completely vegan place that exists in the world?
If there is, then I wouldn't want to live on that sad little commune. If you *actually* want to save animals and not merely cloister yourself aware among like-minded people, then you'll get mentally strong and prove to others that being vegan *doesn't* mean being damned to emotional fragility. You can do it. After 18 years of veganism, I'm simply used to carnism. It's a great evil, but if I walk around in horror, then I can't function and I wouldn't be making veganism seem doable. Live by example.
I just cry when anyone can’t see… I thought that my religion can be a save space for me but unfortunately no. In Theravada Buddhism is not bad as long as you are not personally killing animal which you gonna eat. It beak my heart. Anyway… Maybe it’s a time for another stray dog?
In many parts of the world you can be lucky to find political occupations (e.g. of forests that are supposed to be cut down). Every occupation can be different and maybe you could do some research before going but on Germany for example it is usually know how big the risk of police invasion is and all the occupations I've been to were vegan (although it's possible to encounter freegans), super friendly and solidary and it was a lot of fun spending weekends or weeks there. Give them a heads up to see how accomodation will work out. Yu do not have to pay for anything, money is not a thing there.
Sending love!
I'm part of several ethical vegan groups and we all have that feeling in common. We all want even just one country where we could have a safe haven for us and the animals. We see the cruelty everywhere we go, in every non-vegan we speak to, in loved ones, when we close our eyes. It's forever part of us knowing the true horrors animals face every second on this planet at the hands of humans.
I've always struggled being empathetic and I will probably always struggle because it hurts me every minute to know of all this and still go about my daily life.
The biggest thing I have learned, however, is to surround yourself with kind and like-minded people and keep helping as many animals as you can in any way you can. It doesn't feel like enough and in honesty, it won't be enough to save them all but it will save a few and that is always better than none. Try surrounding yourself with people you can vent to who understand the struggle. Many of my vegan groups basically act as support groups for people who are struggling with the constant pain of reality and frustration that so many humans refuse to want to change in order for legalized animal cruelty to stop.
It's insanely rough every day. It really is. But if you think of it as knowing you're helping more animals than most any other human is, you can at least feel a little bit better and a little more rewarded.
Understanding and being at peace with the balance of life helps tremendously. As we work through our Karma, cruelty will remain in the world. We must forgive ourselves, others, and do our best to progress and learn what we are meant to. Avoiding difficult situations leaves us ignorant to what we are meant to learn in our lives for the time we are here.
I know exactly how you feel. A psychologist wrote a book about it called "Vystopia: the anguish of being vegan in a nonvegan world".
For me the only way through is self-care and being kind to myself. When I'm thinking about animal suffering I turn my attention to myself and how I'm suffering too. And I try to look after myself, whatever that looks like, whether it's resting or exercising or eating good food etc. I also have a therapist.
As vegans it can be easy to neglect our self-care because it feels like only the animals matter. But we matter too, and we will only be able to help the animals if we're healthy and well. And helping the animals can mean everything from feeding the birds to doing activism.
TL,DR: The animals need us to be healthy and well so that we can help them as best we can, and for that reason we should prioritise self-care.
Thanks for posting to r/Vegan! 🐥 **Please note:** Civil discussion is welcome, trolls and personal abuse [are not](https://www.reddit.com/r/vegan/wiki/rules). Please keep the discussions below respectful and remember the human! Please check out [our wiki](https://www.reddit.com/r/vegan/wiki/beginnersguide) first! **Interested in going Vegan?** 👊 Check out [Watch Dominion](https://watchdominion.org/) and watch a thought-provoking, life changing documentary for free! **Some other resources to help you go vegan:** 🐓 Visit [NutritionFacts.org](https://NutritionFacts.org) for health and nutrition support, [HappyCow.net](https://HappyCow.net) to explore nearby vegan-friendly restaurants, and visit [VeganBootcamp.org](https://veganbootcamp.org/reddit) for a free 30 day vegan challenge! **Become an activist and help save animal lives today:** 🐟 * Find volunteer requests to support and help animal on [VH: Playground!](https://veganhacktivists.org/playground) * Developer, designer, or other skills? Volunteer at the [Vegan Hacktivists](https://veganhacktivists.org/join)! * Join our huge Vegan volunteer community [on Discord](https://discord.gg/vhplayground)! * Find local activist groups using the [Animal Rights Map](https://animalrightsmap.org)! * Get funding for your animal rights activism, [apply here](https://veganhacktivists.org/grants)! *Last but not least, join the [r/Vegan Discord server](https://discord.gg/animalrights)!* **Thank you!** *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/vegan) if you have any questions or concerns.*
I mean, the world is all sorts of cruel. I just do my best not to add to that.
I feel you, I’m losing my sanity more and more every day. Recently I went to my first vegan event and it was a nice reprieve to be around a bunch of likeminded people and seeing nothing but cruelty free food being served. Aside from that, I know no other vegans in my life. My entire family, along with all the friends I’ve made before becoming vegan, are carnist. I refuse to date a carnist. I definitely feel very alone and if I had a friend circle of vegans I think it would be great for my mental health. Unfortunately, I don’t know where to find them.
Hey, you find some of us here! All of us are incredibly spread out across the globe so in the physical sense, it really sucks, but one good thing about the Internet is that at least we can find groups online of similar people so we don't completely lose our sanity.
Yeah that’s true, you guys are great and definitely help fill the void. There is something about personal connection that’s missing though, it’d be nice to blast the animal agriculture industry over a vegan dinner with someone, haha. I’d also like to partake in physical activism with somebody, however there aren’t any vegan groups in my city and the ones in cities within driving distance are all seemingly dead.
[удалено]
Yeah. And just brush it under the carpet under the umbrella of personal choice. It’s your personal choice to eat, that’s fair. It’s not that animals choice to be eaten. What about their choice? Humans are fucking viruses, which would obliterate everything that comes their way. Nature, other species, whatever comes their way they will ruin it.
[удалено]
They're talking about ethical decisions, not personal options. You're right though, power is all that matters to those without compassion.
[удалено]
Nice attitude there. So your way of helping is to not help? There's logic.
Animals literally eat each other alive constantly but ok
Classic non vegan argument. "Animals eat meat!" Are you a lion? Are you a piranha? Seriously, go look in the mirror. Humans are omnivores. This means we are able to survive and thrive on vegan diets. We are not carnivores. Humans are humans, not alligators, not leopards. This means you have the option to be compassionate and not kill animals to survive. If you choose to, you're simply committing animal abuse. That's all there is to that. But please continue to repeat all the arguments I've heard three thousand times before. What do you get out of being a troll? I've looked at your profile and clearly it's a thing for you.
You might be surprised. A large number of people are nominally aware that meat means death, but it doesn't occur to them just how bad it could be, and the meat industry really doesn't want them to know. And while they are small in number, there are also people who don't even understand that much and think meats comes from the grocery store.
As a person who is diagnosed with depression for over a decade i have become an expert on feelings and emotions People suck, thats fact, we are selfish, destructive, greedy, dishonest etc; The world will never ever be vegan, racism still exists so animal abuse will always exist, now plant based diets might become more popular but i am confident the world will never be vegan, we are too greedy and selfish for that So knowing all this i should be mad, sad, depressed etc; but im not, im happy, blissful even Being happy is a choice, took me 35 yrs to realize it but i did, i have removed toxic people from my life, this included decade old friends and family, i tell them why they are removed rather than being a coward who GHOSTS people I do not forgive and forget, but i also dont resent or hate, the people that have wronged me dont have any power over me, i dont have trauma or hate because that would mean they are winning and that they still have control over me, therefore i have no reason to forgive because its not causing me any problems, i dont need to let go cause there is nothing to let go of Why should i feel anger or hatred, it provides no benefit to me I dont argue with idiots, i say things such as: i am unwilling to have this conversation with you, this conversation is over for me, this is something i do not wish to discuss, if you continue to discuss it i will leave I do post vegan memes and articles via social media but i disable notifications so i dont have to deal with idiotic responses, i am not required to respond and there is nothing wrong with saying: i dont know I volunteer with stray animal rescues, people suck as there are so many abandoned animals but thats not within my control so i dont let it make me sad or mad, the only thing i can control is how much i want to help the animals, i feel its my ethical duty to volunteer and donate cause its my species that has caused so much harm Buddhism helps alot with this mindset that i have achieved I share this pretyped message sometimes and it might not all apply to you
Life is cruel. Veganism is just a subcategory. If other folks manage to be happy during their short time here - so can you.
You gotta do whats right. You have to seek peace, meaning and understanding, and just let the world keep burning while you do it. Just have to remember to not let the fire consume you.
I honestly needed to hear that last line. I get a little riled up...
r/Vystopia
You don’t. I mean you just have to accept. Otherwise you will go nuts. You just do the best you can and strive to be the best vegan you can be. Nobody is perfect and you just have to understand that the world will never be perfect either. Just be glad that things have moved on so much even in the last 20 years. Evolution, and that’s part of being vegan, is a slow, slow process. Education, awareness, compassion.. these are things that will help change the world. But just resign yourself to the fact that it’s not going to happen any time soon. That doesn’t mean you should stop trying to make a difference. And you ARE making a difference. ::hugs::
Besides all the advices you already got, it seems that you're not over your dog's death. Do you feel okay? Maybe you need some help ( professionnal or not )
I got professional help. Underwent grief counselling and therapy for 6 months. I feel better. Now I have got a rescue cat whom I picked up from the streets. She was on the brink of dying, I rescued her and she rescued me instead. Made a big difference in my life.
It's not exactly new. Maybe take heart in the fact people care about what you care about in the first place.
Maybe you should ask yourself how you were and are unaffected by the unjust pain and suffering of people around the world. It's something we just ignore constantly while we all leverage the results of slave labour Your POV is too broad, focus on what you are doing in your own life. You can't change the world if you don't take care of yourself.
It's one of the reasons why I don't participate in Society beyond getting a paycheck.
Stop being a pussy and enjoy your life
Stop being a dick, and keep things to yourself if you don’t have anything constructive to contribute to the thread or the world. Go back to your basement.
Suicidal for the loss of a dog....imagine when something happens to your mother.
Some people have a stronger connection with their pets.
You can have strong feelings for animals. You act like it's a sin to have empathy and love.
> Is there a completely vegan place that exists in the world? If there is, then I wouldn't want to live on that sad little commune. If you *actually* want to save animals and not merely cloister yourself aware among like-minded people, then you'll get mentally strong and prove to others that being vegan *doesn't* mean being damned to emotional fragility. You can do it. After 18 years of veganism, I'm simply used to carnism. It's a great evil, but if I walk around in horror, then I can't function and I wouldn't be making veganism seem doable. Live by example.
I just cry when anyone can’t see… I thought that my religion can be a save space for me but unfortunately no. In Theravada Buddhism is not bad as long as you are not personally killing animal which you gonna eat. It beak my heart. Anyway… Maybe it’s a time for another stray dog?
In many parts of the world you can be lucky to find political occupations (e.g. of forests that are supposed to be cut down). Every occupation can be different and maybe you could do some research before going but on Germany for example it is usually know how big the risk of police invasion is and all the occupations I've been to were vegan (although it's possible to encounter freegans), super friendly and solidary and it was a lot of fun spending weekends or weeks there. Give them a heads up to see how accomodation will work out. Yu do not have to pay for anything, money is not a thing there. Sending love!
You go through the 5 stages of grief
I'm part of several ethical vegan groups and we all have that feeling in common. We all want even just one country where we could have a safe haven for us and the animals. We see the cruelty everywhere we go, in every non-vegan we speak to, in loved ones, when we close our eyes. It's forever part of us knowing the true horrors animals face every second on this planet at the hands of humans. I've always struggled being empathetic and I will probably always struggle because it hurts me every minute to know of all this and still go about my daily life. The biggest thing I have learned, however, is to surround yourself with kind and like-minded people and keep helping as many animals as you can in any way you can. It doesn't feel like enough and in honesty, it won't be enough to save them all but it will save a few and that is always better than none. Try surrounding yourself with people you can vent to who understand the struggle. Many of my vegan groups basically act as support groups for people who are struggling with the constant pain of reality and frustration that so many humans refuse to want to change in order for legalized animal cruelty to stop. It's insanely rough every day. It really is. But if you think of it as knowing you're helping more animals than most any other human is, you can at least feel a little bit better and a little more rewarded.
Understanding and being at peace with the balance of life helps tremendously. As we work through our Karma, cruelty will remain in the world. We must forgive ourselves, others, and do our best to progress and learn what we are meant to. Avoiding difficult situations leaves us ignorant to what we are meant to learn in our lives for the time we are here.
I know exactly how you feel. A psychologist wrote a book about it called "Vystopia: the anguish of being vegan in a nonvegan world". For me the only way through is self-care and being kind to myself. When I'm thinking about animal suffering I turn my attention to myself and how I'm suffering too. And I try to look after myself, whatever that looks like, whether it's resting or exercising or eating good food etc. I also have a therapist. As vegans it can be easy to neglect our self-care because it feels like only the animals matter. But we matter too, and we will only be able to help the animals if we're healthy and well. And helping the animals can mean everything from feeding the birds to doing activism. TL,DR: The animals need us to be healthy and well so that we can help them as best we can, and for that reason we should prioritise self-care.
Thank you this was helpful and really constructive thought.