DEPRESSION

DEPRESSION

Like many vegans, I have struggled with depression my whole life. A German study from 2012 (Michalak) showed vegans have higher rates of depression than flesh eaters. This is not hard to understand. Vegans are compassionate and empathetic. We don’t just see the suffering of others we feel it.  It is a great weight on our shoulders.

We see the pictures of animal suffering and want to do something about it. We try to educate flesh eaters, and what we get in return are attacks or indifference. The indifference flesh eaters have to the suffering of others is probably the hardest to endure. I just do not understand it and have given up trying to.

I do not know what causes my depression or what triggers it. Sometimes nothing triggers it. The round I just had, was triggered by a very simple incident. I stopped to rescue a turtle on the way to work. While carrying him to the other side of the road, I noticed many of his friends had been hit and killed by cars. I was sad that no one cared. Then at lunch time, one of my co-workers started talking about how this one restaurant had great turtle soup. Yuck. The turtle population is declining rapidly and people are still eating turtle soup? That was enough to start feelings of despair which soon lead to depression. It took me over a month to start to get out of it. 

I have learned to live with depression and have accepted it as part of my personality. Over the years I have learned survival techniques to help cope. One is I don’t drink any alcohol as it intensifies the sadness.

Second, is I tell myself over and over—my kids need their mother, my pack needs their leader, my flock (I have rescued ducks and chickens) need their leader. This keeps suicidal thoughts at bay as it takes feelings about me and focuses it on others.  It works for me, but it may not work for everyone.

I have tried taking prescription drugs, and they have made my depression worse. I only take Sam-e now. Support groups and therapists, did not help me, but it may help others. 

Again, what works for me may not work for you. Everyone is different. My point is that we need to accept our depression as part of us, and learn how to cope. Far too many vegans are suicidal and we need them for the movement.

 You may think you are doing nothing for the animal rights movement, but you did a lot just by going vegan. That speaks volumes.

So please, if you need help to cope with the depression, get it. Try different things-see what works. Some days I sleep 12 hours or more just because I feel I can’t go on.  Do what you need to do to cope, but stay here. The animals need you.