Vegetarian diet and mental disorders

Maybe vegetarians have a higher degree of sensitivity in their makeup. This can make them sensitive to the plight of animals but also more sensitive to stress in relationships, work, school, etc.

Interesting idea, I wonder if there is a link there.

To add to the discussion:
I've been vegetarian my whole life so I've learned how to meet certain dietary needs that I think a lot of "young" vegetarians forget. It's really not as simple as "I'll just stop eating meat" you have to be conscious about the other foods your eating in place of it especially if meat made up the majority of your diet.

Just want to conclude my participation in this topic by saying that I do apologize if my wording offended anyone. I was using sensitivity in the sense of "the strength of an emotional reaction," not in of a kindness or tact kind of a way. But I can see that the word sensitive can also be a loaded term. And finally, we can all be more sensitive to some things than others. :flowerforyou:

I did not read every single comment leading to this one. However, I think everyone that is pissed off because vegetarians like to talk about the lifestyle, are just experiencing guilt or worry about their own lifestyle and don't know how to handle it. I know there are vegetarians that can be over the top, that is true of ANY person with a set of beliefs or a lifestyle. Take, christians for example, a great bunch really but sometimes it is just TOO MUCH. That doesn't mean you should judge everyone with that idea or lifestyle that way.

Here's a study that suggests that eating vegetarian IMPROVES mood:

http://www.nutritionj.com/content/pdf/1475-2891-11-9.pdf

Interesting; however, I suffered from depression BEFORE I became a vegetarian, and not once since. Gotta love science and research, but I have found that research can be manipulated to fit the desired findings of whomever is funding it. Just my two cents worth...

Exactly what basis for the statement that "I have found that research can be manipulated to fit the desired findings of whomever is funding it" do you have? Are you trained in any type of scientific research? What is your background? How much experience do you have? Believe it or not, not everyone doing research is out there trying to manipulate their results. And as a working statistician, I can tell you, it's actually more difficult than you think it is to do so. While I see a lot of studies with questionable methods, which may or may not effect the outcome of the study, this is more often a result of poor training of the researchers involved than any specific motivation.

I'm also a near vegan with a long history of psychological issues, all of which pre-date my conversion to a veg*n diet.

of course, meat-eaters don't suffer from any mental disorders. that's clear.

:drinker:

This is interesting. Other posters have brought up good points. There might be a few things that brought about these findings.

1) Maybe people who go vegetarian DO tend to be more "sensitive" to the world around them.

2) Maybe vegetarians have different brain functioning due to less fats in the diet. Studies have shown that "good" fats feed the brain, so it would stand to reason that animal fats would affect the brain as well.

3) Maybe following a vegetarian lifestyle effects basic hormonal function.

4) There could also be something to what one person posted about lower primates having more anxiety. Maybe vegetarianism does set off some sort of subconscious mind game?

I do also think, however, that it is possible to manipulate almost any study to reflect the conclusion you are expecting. Did it say if any of the researchers themselves are vegetarian?

I've had people tell me I'm f-ing crazy for being a veg, but besides that I'm relatively normal. At least the voices tell me I am.

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.

^^

7. People are extremely sensitive to the word 'sensitive' and assume that people that use it are claiming a moral high ground despite it being a morally neutral term. People who are more sensitive (prone to stronger physical and emotional reactions) are possibly more predisposed to various mental health conditions. Someone mentioned Borderline Personality--research is suggesting that many people with BPD are biologically more predisposed to sensitivity and difficulty with emotion regulation, though this wouldn't be enough usually to cause BPD. Just as having a higher degree of sensitivity (strength of a reaction) wouldn't be enough to "cause" vegetarianism. (See the example of a very sensitive person who does not have a moral problem with eating meat. Just because they are more sensitive does not mean they are going to be a vegetarian.) On the other hand, someone with problems morally with eating meat who experiences LESS emotional reaction will be more likely to be able to "turn off" in order to avoid cognitive dissonance because they enjoy eating meat, despite having moral problems with it. (My husband will say that if we had pigs and chickens and cows, he would be a vegetarian, and he admits that if I wanted to eat cats, which we do have, he'd be furious and horrified. Because he can react less strongly, it would require more stimulus-the animal being in front of him or something he can't detach from-to change his decision.) He is not insensitive, but I don't think he would argue that of the two of us, I have a higher degree of sensitivity--emotional reactions--to not just meat but to most issues. I don't feel morally superior to him for this and often envy his more laidback abilities.)

8. If people who are more sensitive are more prone to emotional disorders, it's logical to question if the reason vegetarians have more emotional disorders is because they are more sensitive.

9. No vegetarian here actually called someone an insensitive prick (that I read) while others did call vegetarians half baked and liberals as having a mental disorder.

10. Compassionate =/= sensitive.

11. I know I said I was done with this thread. My bad.