i've been vegan for 19 years, vegetarian for 24 years. i'm convinced that eating meat is an addiction. after 6 months of being vegetarian, i didn't want mammals' meat: cows, pigs, etc. it was harder to stop eating chicken, turkey, etc. but i don't want to eat them, anymore. sometimes, i still want to eat fish and shellfish. but i don't. it wasn't easy to stop eating cheese and drinking milk. it took me 5 years. p.s. i admit that veganism can be risky. **vitamin & mineral supplements such as vitamin d and b12 are necessary.**