Vegetarian diet linked to emotional, mental problems

Going full vegetarian comes with side-effects. In a report by Women's Health, it cited that going on a meatless diet may negatively impact one's mental health, leading to depression, panic attacks, and obsessive compulsive behavior (OCD).

The report by Women's Health cited studies in Australia and Germany, which showed related results about mental health problems encountered by people who are on vegetarian diet. In the Australian study, it was reported that vegetarians were 18 percent more likely to experience anxiety and panic attacks than those who ate meat.

The German study, on the other hand, further backed up the claim of the Australian study, highlighting a research finding which suggests that vegetarians were 15 percent more likely to suffer from depressive conditions and twice likely to experience anxiety disorders.

Women's Health, however, further investigates, reporting the experience of Drew Ramsey, a Columbia University professor and experienced psychiatrist, with a 35-year old female patient.

According to the Women's Health news, Ramsey's patient, who had given up eating meat for over a year, had been feeling more anxious without reason. She had also been experiencing regular panic attacks as well. These experiences come along with decreasing energy, despite her being physically active and fit.

The report even cited that the patient had developed a fear of taking the New York subway, while also having trouble getting into bed, as she kept thinking that she would lose her job.

Ramsey speculated that the patient's plant-based diet is the cause of his emotional breakdown. Hence, he advised the patient to add animal meat into her diet. Thus, after six weeks, Ramsey observed his patient's energy in increase, while the panic attacks dropped to about 75 percent.

Besides Ramsey's patient, Women's Health also cited the 27-year-old Isabel Smith, who also confessed that she feels frustrated and gets upset more easily after going on a meat-less diet.

"Food is a factor in mental health. We should be talking about it. You can't just make a sweeping change to your diet and expect it won't have any effect on you mentally," Ramsey told Women's Health.

The Women's Health report mentioned that going on a vegetarian diet is not really wrong, as it has proven benefits and many thrive on the vegetarian diet. However, the report suggested that people should not just go along with current trends and abruptly shift to a meatless diet, emphasizing that it is important to consult a doctor or nutritionist first. 

The popularity of vegetarianism has been increasing over the years. The Vegetarian Times reported that in the US, 7.3 million are vegetarians, while 22.8 million follow a vegetarian-inclined diet.

The popularity of vegetarianism has received an additional boost after the World Health Organization announced that both processed meats and red meat are carcinogenic to humans.

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