Vegetarian diet and mental disorders

FlaxMilk

But the problem with that is, the article says:

The analysis of the respective ages at adoption of a vegetarian diet and onset of a mental disorder showed that the onset of mental disorders tends to follow the adoption of the vegetarian diet.

. That still doesn't rule out people being more sensitive but not developing *diagnosed* emotional disorders until they are older. Many emotional disorders "tend" to become apparent in adolescence or adulthood. Other emotional disorders are missed by families and doctors of children. I can't remember but I don't think this was a study that followed people throughout their lifespans. If it wasn't, there may be reliance on recollection, which is unreliable.

FlaxMilk

Also I eat tons of fat, it's just not animal fat.

MaraDiaz

But the problem with that is, the article says:

The analysis of the respective ages at adoption of a vegetarian diet and onset of a mental disorder showed that the onset of mental disorders tends to follow the adoption of the vegetarian diet.

"Tends" is not a strong clinical significance term. That still doesn't rule out people being more sensitive but not developing *diagnosed* emotional disorders until they are older. Many emotional disorders "tend" to become apparent in adolescence or adulthood. Other emotional disorders are missed by families and doctors of children. I can't remember but I don't think this was a study that followed people throughout their lifespans. If it wasn't, there may be reliance on recollection, which is unreliable.

Of course you're right and one study isn't enough for certainty anyway. But it's still interesting.

Bobby_Clerici

OUCH!
I am no vegetarian, but this is quite absurd.
Correlation does not equal causation.
Maybe a half baked mind is what draws some to give up meat. That makes much more sense to me.
To turn one's nose up before a fabulous steak is crazy.
Just an opinion.

onikonor

Haha nice study.

newyearsresolutionfailure

However, there was no evidence for a causal role of vegetarian diet in the etiology of mental disorders.

This is the most important part of the study.

FlaxMilk

Of course you're right and one study isn't enough for certainty anyway. But it's still interesting.

It's interesting! I think it's useful, not offensive. I wouldn't stop being a vegan to get rid of my anxiety, but the research could lead to strategies to help vegetarians and vegans follow their lifestyle without suffering emotionally. I know I feel much better when I take my (vegan) Omega-3 supplements.

kennie2

must be all the hormones in cows milk
vegans are way happier

rrrbecca11

Hilarious!!! :bigsmile: :bigsmile: :bigsmile: The meat and dairy industry is likely behind this study. I can tell you from experience that a vegetarian diet makes me so dang happy, upbeat, less critical, more relaxed, happier in general, more energy, strength and stamina than I EVER had when I ate animal flesh.

bleacheblonde

I agree with Flaxmilk. Thinking about people walking around, walking graves. Knowing the truths about our culture makes me really upset. Understanding the suffering and pain that is all around us, it can be depressing. Most vegetarians are not only involved in animal rights, they are concerned for the bigger picture as well, other activism. The planet and the survival of our species. Human rights. Human welfare. I am a vegetarian, and I may be more prone to feelings of sadness. It is not my diet, it is my awareness and the general state of everything.

^^ THIS. Totally agree!

Bobby_Clerici

I agree with Flaxmilk. Thinking about people walking around, walking graves. Knowing the truths about our culture makes me really upset. Understanding the suffering and pain that is all around us, it can be depressing. Most vegetarians are not only involved in animal rights, they are concerned for the bigger picture as well, other activism. The planet and the survival of our species. Human rights. Human welfare. I am a vegetarian, and I may be more prone to feelings of sadness. It is not my diet, it is my awareness and the general state of everything.

You might be right.
I don't care about any of those things, and my life is wonderful!

fiveohmike

I wish I knew happy Vegans and vegetarians. All the ones I know, got a holier than thou attitude and bought apple products. They became a bunch of pretentious a-holes.

girlonfire15

I would guess this correlation is due to a higher degree of sensitivity - they won't eat animals because they feel bad for them, thus, they are more highly effected by other social plights, etc. Just a guess, though.

I've been a vegetarian for the majority of my life (11 years, and I'm 19 now) and I don't have any mental disorders. My past roommate, however, was a pescetarian (though she often referred to herself as a vegetarian) and had all sorts of problems, especially dealing with food and body image.

Marll

I think the study is twisting the results to meet an agenda, much like any that propose that vegetarian diet is better.

That being said, I think that it's totally possible that people with certain sensitivities and idealogies are drawn to veganism. The activist types, those that believe themselves to be morally superior to others, those that want to be "edgy" (though not intentionally) and hipsters seem to be drawn to the diet. It's also not surprising that most vegetarians that I have met in my life tend to be VERY liberal when it comes to politics. I really don't think that this is coincidence. I also think that liberalism is a mental disorder however, and maybe that is what drives people to be vegetarian?

Ocarina

I also get depressed when I can't eat meat!

Took the words right out of my mouth

Nice sig lol

Marll

I wish I knew happy Vegans and vegetarians. All the ones I know, got a holier than thou attitude and bought apple products. They became a bunch of pretentious a-holes.

Not sure if sarcasm...but I agree! I have a guy that works for me that used to be a vegetarian and he's be the first to tell you that part of what drew him to the diet was that he could lord is moral superiority over other people he met. He's older now and decided to give that up and eat meat. He's a lot healthier now, and much less of a little prick.

rml_16

I was crazy before I went veg and I'm crazy now.

But people love my crazy.

MaraDiaz

I'm still puzzled as to why there would be any widespread agenda against vegetarianism, given the relative scarcity of meat. It's heavily subsidized and still expensive, and a lot of people would be very unhappy if increased demand caused prices to go beyond the reach of the average American.

Environmentalists are probably also quite happy with the idea of more people following a vegetarian diet.

fiveohmike

I wish I knew happy Vegans and vegetarians. All the ones I know, got a holier than thou attitude and bought apple products. They became a bunch of pretentious a-holes.

Not sure if sarcasm...but I agree! I have a guy that works for me that used to be a vegetarian and he's be the first to tell you that part of what drew him to the diet was that he could lord is moral superiority over other people he met. He's older now and decided to give that up and eat meat. He's a lot healthier now, and much less of a little prick.

Not sarcasm at all. Here in the SF Bay area, all the vegans and veggies I come across (and personal friends who switched), all act like they were gods gifts to the world and that everyone else is beneath them. I lost friends over it, its ridiculous really.

Goal_Line

My ex girlfriend was a vegetarian and suffered from depression that got steadily worse over the 10 years we were together. When we met she at least ate fist a couple of times a week. In the end, there were times when all she would eat are a Gensoy Bar, nuts and popcorn....I still worry about her.