2mo vegan. Extremely hopeless and depressed

Hey all. Wanted to make a post here looking for some advice. I have been fully vegan for 2 months now and don’t ever see myself going back. The benefits have been innumerable, and I would only be preaching to the choir and inflating my word count here if I listed them.

That being said, it has been an extremely difficult transition for me. I have already lost 2 friends, not due to vegan/omni arguments, but just because they don’t care about me anymore. I have not been preaching veganism at all, I’ve literally only requested vegan food (and not even to them – just at a restaurant we went to). To make it more difficult, these former “friends” are also coworkers I sit next to every week.

We have a worker appreciation week coming up at work, and everyone’s getting the same meal: a turkey and cheese sub with lettuce, tomato, and mustard. I requested a vegan meal. Their solution? Just remove the turkey and cheese. I don’t like tomato, so they’ll be serving me a lettuce and mustard sub… for appreciation week… so I just requested I don’t receive anything, and genuinely no one cares. That wouldn’t be acceptable to give to an omni, so why is it acceptable to give to me? It just perpetuates all the bad vegan stereotypes: veganism is just about removing animal products from food, we don’t get enough protein, we don’t get enough calories, etc…

I understand that workplaces generally suck for veganism, but since I have transitioned everyone has stopped caring about me at work. Again, I haven’t been arguing, attacking, or even advocating for veganism. I honestly feel like I’ve been the recipient of more hate and bone-headedness over my veganism in the last two months, than my queerness in twenty years. I should also mention I’m in a very liberal west coast metropolitan area.

I want to quit my job but I don’t know anywhere else that would be better, and I like a lot of things about it (the pay, vacation, my schedule, etc).

I don’t have any vegan friends. The only people who have been supportive are my mom and my one best friend. I tried looking for vegan groups in my area and I can’t find any. I already have a lot of mental health issues and I’m currently trying to find a therapist, but it’s really difficult due to transportation and insurance constraints.

I don’t really know what advice I’m looking for, but I appreciate anyone even reading this. I know generally the advice for this is, “make some really good vegan food and bring it to share and prove everyone wrong!” However, I don’t want to cook for people that obviously don’t care about me.

All of this is on top of trying to deal with the usual new vegan stuff – seeing the world through a new lens, and realizing how little people care about animals. I’m just really sad, and I refuse to give up veganism.

Due to societal pressure, people typically return to eating meat at this point.

To be honest, it shows what kind of pathetic friends they were if you never bothered them and they ended up not going out with you because you gave up eating meat or dairy products.

It was much easier after I stopped caring so much about what other people thought of me.

The best recommendation I can give you is to bring your own dish if you are invited somewhere; it’s even better if you can share it with others.

Op, persevere; things will get easier in time.

You’re not in this enormous club, that’s for sure. I’m not in the big club with you. By the way, they bash you over the head all day long with the same enormous club when they teach you what to believe. They hammer you over the head with their media all day long, telling you what to think, what to believe, and what to buy. People, the table is tipped. There appears to be little awareness or concern that the game is rigged.

There is a great Japanese restaurant nearby that serves vegan and whole food options. Steamed rice, tofu, and hibachi vegetables. Door Dash might bring this to your place of employment. You reside in a metro region on the west coast. Compared to New Orleans, you most likely have a far larger number of vegan eateries.

If someone has abandoned you, it’s because the season has ended. I advise you to find your vegan restaurant of choice and go there often. There, I’m sure you’ll make new pals.

Just like seasons come to an end and new ones begin, so too do people come into our lives.

Even if they’re not vegans, friends and family who genuinely care about you will be there for you. People who fear independent thought and perceive your strength as an individual will follow the group’s lead.

I totally agree with the previous posters: don’t worry about what other people think of you; be true to yourself. People come and go like the seasons. People will embrace you and your development as a compassionate person in a new season as soon as you feel at ease with your incredible decision✨

Well done on your vegan journey. We need someone with your level of diligence. I might be in the minority, but I think you should think about letting go of your standards. I never anticipated most people who eat differently from me to make accommodations for me. I made my decision, and if that means that occasionally I have an unpleasant meal, then so be it. I would much prefer accept it myself than for people to make allowances for me. The good news is that each year there are more and more vegans, vegan options, and vegan items available. I’ve spent 25 years vegan. I promise it will only get better. Wishing you luck!

Don’t give up. Continue grinning. Act civil. Continue consuming your favorites. Things will gradually alter. Kindly disregard the advise of those who wish for you to exact revenge on your coworkers. Since they are genuinely furious with themselves, all you have to do is continue being vegan.

I am a member of a local meetup organization for vegans. Have you attempted to meet up? Additionally, vegan potluck groups exist.

I’m so sorry you’ve been in this group. I had a lousy bunch at my last job they gossiped non-stop. Remember for yourself your reasons why you did this don’t let them muck you up. Don’t let them win!

It’s always been like way, friend; you just now realized the reality. Make your own happiness, inner serenity, and hope. Your search for fulfillment and purpose in social interactions will keep you miserable and depressed. The road of compassion is a solitary one. Accept it.

Exist any vegan organizations in your area? Finding a community & like-minded folks could be beneficial, in my opinion ❥️.

Since 2010, I have been a vegan. To be honest, I don’t boast about being vegan, so I haven’t exactly lost any friends over it either. It is uplifting to know that you, as a vegan, are superior to “meats” both morally and physiologically. You’ll also soon come to the realization that 92% of people in this country are awful, and you’ll be relieved that you made the cut.