I know this is from a while ago - and I hope since writing this that your health has recovered well - but I just read this for the first time and wanted to validate you in all that you wrote. My veganism journey was nearly identical, all the way down to the Bonny Rebecca bits. Even the timeline is about the same. I can honestly say that for me, while I still think there’s some good from the vegan movement, leaving veganism was one of the better things I did for my physical and mental health. I recently chatted about this with a fellow ex-vegan friend and we determined that many of the tactics used in cults are sadly also used in many corners of the vegan community (extreme propaganda, strict rules, some even encouraging vegans to excommunicate themselves from loved ones who are not vegan). And so, leaving veganism can feel so difficult because of similar reasons leaving a cult feels difficult. I know that may sound extreme and may not resonate with you, but I thought it was an interesting parallel and one I personally resonated with a lot in my own journey. Thanks for writing such a thoughtful and vulnerable piece. ❤️
Oh boy, I could talk about this all day 😅 Thanks so much for reading, and crazy to hear that your experience was so similar. I don’t think that line of thinking is extreme at all - it was really cultish. Now that there are several years between when I wrote this I can’t believe I was so stressed about eating two eggs - that says enough for how limited my thinking was and how wrapped up I was in it. My health has improved SO MUCH since incorporating animal products again and I really hope the same for you. Overall, I am still extremely grateful for the whole experience - now, I’m very wary of anyone who claims anything, in any context, is the “only” way to do something. Life doesn’t work like that and there are grey areas everywhere - it was a great lesson to learn, in the end.
I know this is from a while ago - and I hope since writing this that your health has recovered well - but I just read this for the first time and wanted to validate you in all that you wrote. My veganism journey was nearly identical, all the way down to the Bonny Rebecca bits. Even the timeline is about the same. I can honestly say that for me, while I still think there’s some good from the vegan movement, leaving veganism was one of the better things I did for my physical and mental health. I recently chatted about this with a fellow ex-vegan friend and we determined that many of the tactics used in cults are sadly also used in many corners of the vegan community (extreme propaganda, strict rules, some even encouraging vegans to excommunicate themselves from loved ones who are not vegan). And so, leaving veganism can feel so difficult because of similar reasons leaving a cult feels difficult. I know that may sound extreme and may not resonate with you, but I thought it was an interesting parallel and one I personally resonated with a lot in my own journey. Thanks for writing such a thoughtful and vulnerable piece. ❤️
Oh boy, I could talk about this all day 😅 Thanks so much for reading, and crazy to hear that your experience was so similar. I don’t think that line of thinking is extreme at all - it was really cultish. Now that there are several years between when I wrote this I can’t believe I was so stressed about eating two eggs - that says enough for how limited my thinking was and how wrapped up I was in it. My health has improved SO MUCH since incorporating animal products again and I really hope the same for you. Overall, I am still extremely grateful for the whole experience - now, I’m very wary of anyone who claims anything, in any context, is the “only” way to do something. Life doesn’t work like that and there are grey areas everywhere - it was a great lesson to learn, in the end.