depressing images

[alienataris]

The day I decided to go vegan was the day I saw some very disturbing things on the PETA website. I saw videos about the cruel way farm animals were treated and it opened my eyes to things I never knew existed. I have not even looked at craved or wanted meat since the day I saw those things and made that decision. And I am very happy that I made that decision. I love animals so much, and if I would have known these things earlier I definately would have made the transition sooner. Anyway I cant seem to get the images out of my head. I think about it at least 3 times a day if not more, since I saw it. Sometimes it really depresses me knowing that this is happening and I cant do anything about it. Knowing that as I am writing this post millions of animals are being exploited and abused, and slaughtered in inhumane ways. I get really sad about it and try not to think about it but I cant help it. I am very happy I decided to become a vegan. But sometimes I wish I didnt have to know the full extent of what was happeningto these animals. I feel like I will never be able to unsee those images. Has anyone ever experienced this??

[RedWolf90]

yeah, i know what you mean. That happens to me sometimes and I get depressed,
which really sucks. people sometimes say that "since you're veg'n, atleast you know that you're not supporting the cruelty", and that usually doesn't even help.
You just have to learn to deal with what you know, not much else you can do.

....hehe, that probably didn't sound very supportive, oh well...

[kpickell]

/nods

Yeah, that's probably the reason most people go vegan.
If slaughterhouses had glass walls, type thing.

[Christy]

I did. That was my catalyst, too. I started obsessing and spending way too much time at the website. I started to get depressed and just melancholy all the time, so i had to back off a bit. I just focused on learning to eat a balanced diet.

[veggie4life]

Hi,

I was depressed a long time: I thought several times a day about animal cruelty and how many animals are slaughtered in the specific moment and it really depressed me. I saw every video I found on the web. The PETA videos were so cruel and they made me sensitive for veganism and animal rights. But what really hit me was the "project reue". Anyway at the moment I chill and I feel more comfortable because I saw so much and I thought so many thoughts about animal cruelty - it is definately enough now. My soul is blunted. I fell pain but not like in the beginning. And it is ok.
Yes, and it is right, vegan is not enough. I want to do more. Speak to people is one way - but they often don't understand. I really really really want to join an organisation but I don't know why.

What really helps is to live with animals. It makes me so happy when I see my young kitten. I really enjoy this and I then forget about everything.

cya
veggie4life :sunny:

[*Star*Lass*]

I was getting really depressed about things because i was watching too many videos on the internet, anything i could find. My fiance told me to stop watching them or he wouldn't support me in my decision to be vegetarian. I can't blame him, i was watching those videos and crying all the time, and he had to pick up the pieces. The best thing you can do is stop watching them, and stop looking at the nasty images. I know what's happening out there, watching more videos isn't going to help me. So i'm concentrating on what i'm eating now and have moved that reason i went veggie to a safer place in my mind. We may not be able to stop all the cruelty to animals, but lets not be cruel to ourselves.

[veggie4life]

We may not be able to stop all the cruelty to animals, but lets not be cruel to ourselves.

Nice quot. I totally agree :hi:

We have the right to be lucky too...


cya
v4l

[UUVeggie]

Anyway I cant seem to get the images out of my head. I think about it at least 3 times a day if not more, since I saw it.


The first thing you have to realize is that endlessly thinking about it isn't HELPING. Then you just have to make a conscious effort to push the images out of your head. Think of something else. Eventually, they will go away on their own.

Take comfort that you are doing everything you can, and more than most people. I've been a vegetarian for 5 years, and in that time, there are more and more veggies/vegans in the world and more options for us. We are slowly but surely changing the world through our actions. So give your head a rest.

[Scorpius]

Are you talking about the "Meet Your Meat" video??? Because that one's a gut wrencher.

Anyways, I'm kinda hardened as it is...so the images did bother me, but not so much in a negative way (besides, I had already been diagnosed with clinical depression before I saw that stuff. fun times.) So I'm just worried that I'll really have a negative effect on other people.

They say that showing that video will convert any die-hard meat eater to a veg....but I really wouldn't want to involuntarally subject anyone to that, for fear that I'll get in trouble for it or something. (not that what those animals have to go through will ever come anywhere close to anything I'd ever face...).

So, I just let people know by simply telling them what I've seen, naming my family's dinner has been a good way to make them think about it...!

[veggie4life]

Hi Scorpius,

why not just go for a try???

A few years ago a friend told me about vegetarianism and I immediately changed my lifestyle. It was like some kind of enlightenment: I always loved animals but I ate them - that was stupid! Nobody told me before....

I think that it is very important to tell people what is going on - with videos or without...

cya
v4l

[alienataris]

Im trying not to be so tortured by all of this. But its really hard to, not having anyone to talk about it with. None of my friends understand why I even decided to go vegan. Even when I try to explain it to them, they just say things like "I could never be vegan/vegetarian", or "How can you not eat meat?" I always feel like saying "How could you eat meat?" I try to tell them about the things Ive learned and seen. But none of them are willing to read any articles or watch any videos. They dont want it to spoil their feelings about liking meat. So anyways I hold it all in. And by holding it in it makes me think about it constantly. And the more I think about it, the more depressed I feel about the whole situation. I am really glad that I found out about all of this, and that I made the change. But I just havent been the same since I saw those images.

[Scorpius]

Veggie4Life: I'm vegan

And it's a fun time

[veggie4life]

So, I just let people know by simply telling them what I've seen, naming my family's dinner has been a good way to make them think about it...!

@scorpius: sorry, but you misunderstood me. I just wanted to say that you could be more offensive when you are talking about veganism and animal rights. I always show my friends videos and animations I found in the net: this is the only way it worx... :D

cya
v4l

[SoyCreamFilling]

And by holding it in it makes me think about it constantly. And the more I think about it, the more depressed I feel about the whole situation.

try writing papers up and giving them to your english teacher, or send it in to your local newspaper. it will let people have the opportunity to read it, without you forcing them to. or draw, do something crafty. i was really depressed when i first saw the images and movies as well (though like others 1- i was hardened already and 2- i was also depressed already) and it really helped to write, draw collage. you should read stories about animals and people, like happy ones. how we help each other and everything :)