Does it EVER get easier? (seeing people eat meat)

[Nickle00]

I've been a l/o veg for a couple months. I'm slowly but surely transitioning to vegan but I have SUCH a hard time seeing people eat meat now!! I literally get choked up when I go home and watch the fam eating chicken, pork etc. I actually cried on ThanksLiving when they took the turkey out of the oven and I felt bad because my fam's been SUPER supportive of my decision and has not said one negative thing at all. I just can't help the way I feel now and I think they, sometimes, feel as though I'm trying to make them feel guilty about it. I'm truly not!! I never SAY anything but I do shed a few tears. I understand EXACTLY why they eat meat...come on it took me 24 years to make the change and I know how they look at meat. I looked at it the same way for sooo long too. It's just that now that I have become veg I can't imagine WHY it took me so long. I look at meat completely different now and I can't help but get emotional. Does this EVER change or at least become less intense?

[Just_Kris]

I hope someone says yes. I've been very limited l/o for 4 months now. With all the reading and researching I have been doing regarding my decision, it is very hard to watch others eat meat. I know this sounds really crazy, but even certain types of meat bother me more than others; watching people eat lamb and veal will kill my appetite instantly. I guess its the "innocence" of the meat combined with the fact that it is animal itself.

[Libellula]

it gets easier.

[Beachbnny]

I've been vegetarian for 6+ years now. It does get easier but you are forever changed when you make the connection. Suddenly you're different and you see things differently. If your family is supportive, you're lucky After all this time I still get upset, but it's easier for me to accept now. I will never totally accept it but it's easier for me to get through life if I accept people for who they are. I alos like to think of people as "potential vegans". If I'm happy, healthy and not pushy but still open to discussion maybe it will affect them positively. And it does I've seen it happen a lot.

The best thing, I think, to combat that feeling is to get more active. Write companies, petition, drop a leaflet or two, or fifty lol. It helps me feel like I'm doing more and that change is possible.

[Thalia]

I've been vegetarian for 6+ years now. It does get easier but you are forever changed when you make the connection. Suddenly you're different and you see things differently. If your family is supportive, you're lucky After all this time I still get upset, but it's easier for me to accept now. I will never totally accept it but it's easier for me to get through life if I accept people for who they are. I alos like to think of people as "potential vegans". If I'm happy, healthy and not pushy but still open to discussion maybe it will affect them positively. And it does I've seen it happen a lot.

The best thing, I think, to combat that feeling is to get more active. Write companies, petition, drop a leaflet or two, or fifty lol. It helps me feel like I'm doing more and that change is possible.

ITA. It took me a few years, though, but it was most intense in the first year.

[frizzy_fairy]

The idea of meat isn't *that* offputting to me.
I find tuna and mayonaisse still tempting
If its disgustingly greasy and fatty looking meat then I wonder how people can consume it. SOmetimes I wonder how people can consume it after they'll agree with me its gross the way theyprocess it or something.

The repulsion factor is actually getting stornger for me though, i tihnk its just the longer I stay away from meat the less edible it seems.

[cftwo]

Yes and no. It's still hard (after 15 years) because I can't stand the smell of it and because, well, it's an animal. It's easier because I've sort of resigned myself to living in harmony with these other living creatures (the omnis) and that means letting them do their thing and just setting an example.

[Cyrillia]

The repulsion factor is also getting stronger here too. I really don't like watching people eat it, and it's getting harder to hide the fact too. I know it will get easier, I just hope it's soon! I'm not looking forward to everyone fussing over this big turkey at Christmas as I know I'll have to bite my tongue.

Two years ago, when I was still a meat eater, we had a turkey from a guy who had his own farm. Even though I can't understand my own reasoning, at the time (as an omni) the idea of having one from him - as opposed to a factory farmed one - was much more appealing. After all, the guy only kept the number of turkeys that he knew people wanted. There could have been no more than thirty, and they were all extremely well looked after. However, when we got it my mother totally freaked out because it still had feathers on it! She said it was because the feathers were a reminder that it had been running around in a farm about two days previously, and that she just couldn't enjoy the meat. The following year it was back to the factory farmed ones for her.

I'm so glad I don't partake anymore, and now can't even believe that I thought the way I did! I'm just not looking forward to it when I know the suffering and cruelty that goes into that one meal.

[Nickle00]

The repulsion factor is also getting stronger here too. I really don't like watching people eat it, and it's getting harder to hide the fact too. I know it will get easier, I just hope it's soon! I'm not looking forward to everyone fussing over this big turkey at Christmas as I know I'll have to bite my tongue.

Two years ago, when I was still a meat eater, we had a turkey from a guy who had his own farm. Even though I can't understand my own reasoning, at the time (as an omni) the idea of having one from him - as opposed to a factory farmed one - was much more appealing. After all, the guy only kept the number of turkeys that he knew people wanted. There could have been no more than thirty, and they were all extremely well looked after. However, when we got it my mother totally freaked out because it still had feathers on it! She said it was because the feathers were a reminder that it had been running around in a farm about two days previously, and that she just couldn't enjoy the meat. The following year it was back to the factory farmed ones for her.

I'm so glad I don't partake anymore, and now can't even believe that I thought the way I did! I'm just not looking forward to it when I know the suffering and cruelty that goes into that one meal.

It's so amazing how someone can finally see their dinner for what it truly is yet go back to eating it anyhow, totally disregarding any feeling they had about what they were eating when they actually thought about it being an animal...so weird!!

[eggplant]

Yes and no. It's still hard (after 15 years) because I can't stand the smell of it and because, well, it's an animal. It's easier because I've sort of resigned myself to living in harmony with these other living creatures (the omnis) and that means letting them do their thing and just setting an example.

This is similar to how I feel after 5 years vegan. I don't think it's ever going to be easy, but I've had to adopt that resigned feeling as well in order to stay sane. The lightness of spirit I feel being vegan sort of counteracts my negative feelings about this omni world to some extent.