What Freud Taught Us About Lapsed Vegetarians

As most readers may know, Faunalytics conducted a major independent study on both former and current vegetarians and vegans (veg*ns), the results of which were released in December 2014. The study was a comprehensive examination and comparison of current and former veg*ns, with more than 11,000 adult respondents. This study was the first to examine former veg*ns in detail. The results showed that just 2% of the U.S. adult population is currently veg*n and that there are about five times more lapsed veg*ns.

As a psychiatrist, the focus of my work has been to determine the cause of people’s symptoms and behaviors, and to assist in finding a solution. Mental health professionals are taught to examine biological, psychological, and social factors (the “biopsychosocial” approach) for a 360-degree view of the patient. The Biopsychosocial Model of health and illness, as proposed by Engel (1977), implies that behaviors, thoughts and feelings may influence a physical state.

In reviewing this article, I thought that the biopsychosocial approach would help further understand why both choosing and maintaining a veg*n diet is so difficult for many people.

Biological Factors

Starting with biological factors, 58% of former veg*ns cite health as the major motivator whereas other factors were much less significant, ranging from 8% to 31%. For current veg*ns, health factors were the main motivator for 69%, but other factors were also higher, with several above 50%. This indicates more varied reasons help motivate people to maintain the diet.

Although people cited health as a major motivator, it appears health benefits of a veg*n diet may not be clearly defined and/or understood. Also, it seems that at least some former veg*ns feel that they could achieve similar health benefits from an alternative diet. Although a high percentage of individuals feel that they will have improved health on a veg*n diet, it is not a strong enough motivator for them to continue with the diet.

In these cases, knowledge and understanding of biological needs do not lead to a permanent change in eating habits. For those working to increase the prevalence of veg*ns, focusing on health factors only may have limited efficacy.

Psychological Factors

Psychological factors are related to how an individual perceives himself or herself, personality structure, values, beliefs, and individual coping styles, to name a few. The Faunalytics study delineates how complex and varied individuals are in their motivations to maintain or abandon the veg*n diet. The results also suggest ways to address barriers to maintaining the diet on a long-term basis.

One caveat is that social factors often overlap with psychological factors and at times it can be difficult to differentiate one from the other. Psychological motivators include concern about animal welfare, personal dislike of the taste of meat, and concern for the environment. While individuals may have personal beliefs that support a veg*n diet, they may not have the internal strength to maintain the diet due to a lack of discipline, lack of education in following the diet, lack of access to veg*n food, and/or cost of food.

Social Factors

However, the most important factor appears to be the struggle between psychological and social factors. By following their personal beliefs, people risk losing social support from the non-vegetarian cohort of society. The concept of cognitive dissonance has been used to describe the struggle that some individuals have in choosing the veg*n diet when they feel empathy towards animals yet have an opposing value, such as liking the taste of meat or wanting to fit in.

Cognitive dissonance is the result of an individual having two opposing desires/beliefs simultaneously. Because this state of mind produces too much internal tension, the mind finds a way to solve the problem. In our example, solutions could be for the individual to either give up their fondness for meat (and fitting in) or to stop thinking about animal welfare.

Another way cognitive dissonance might interfere with the veg*n diet relates to the fact that the veg*n individual immediately becomes somewhat of an outlier in society (the 2%) rather than “mainstream.” Many of these people struggle with wanting to follow a veg*n diet, but at the same time wanting to fit into society and be perceived as “normal.” For most, the easier solution is to simply not follow the diet.

The concept of ego strength comes into play as well. The concept of “Ego” was developed by Freud as the mediator between the Id (the hedonistic part of our self) and the Superego (the conscience), and reality. To live with being an outlier would require an individual to have a strong ego that can navigate through the id (wanting to eat meat because of taste, wanting to be accepted by others), reality (knowing he/she would become an “outlier” who is perceived as different by 98% of people), and the superego (is it right to pursue the veg*n diet, am I upsetting my family and friends by making their lives inconvenient?).

Piaget, a psychologist who studied cognitive development in childhood, discussed the concept of “accommodation.” This is the process of modifying our existing cognitive structures so that new information can fit into them more easily. In short, it’s the typical reaction to the cognitive dissonance described earlier, and it can harden the barriers to behavior change.

Every child goes through this process to fit in and understand the society and world into which they are born. But others also go through this process when experiencing change – moving to a new country or interacting with an unfamiliar culture, for example. If we apply these concepts to the transition to veg*nism, it is evident that there is a high rate of failure for individuals who attempt to transition to the veg*n “culture” due to lack of assimilation and accommodation.

Using the framework of the biopsychosocial approach allows veg*n advocates to understand failures to transition to a veg*n diet in a novel way. It can also help identify and implement targeted efforts to overcome the obstacles to adopting and maintaining a veg*n diet. We need more research and exploration of these concepts as applied to animal advocacy.

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Gail Fernandez, MD is a child and adolescent psychiatrist who has spent most of her career as a clinical professor of psychiatry at University of California, Irvine (UCI). She now works primarily for the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation but continues as part-time faculty at UCI. She has a passion for those who cannot advocate for themselves, including children, the developmentally disabled, and animals.