[dspillett]

> when the UK initially joined the EU most people probably didn't notice much of a difference, except that the euro made

There were 26 years between the UK joining and the euro being introduced. 29 between that and coins & notes being in people's hands (for the first three years the currency was primarily only used for accounting purposes not day-to-day, though in the run up to 2002 prices were often presenting in both currencies in preparation for the public switch starting).

> But now, leaving seems to be like constantly picking at a festering scab.

There was a plan for joining. Leaving was a desire without a (properly thought out) plan.

After joining it took time to fully integrate and over the decades, unpicking all that was always going to be much more complicated than merging into it in the first place (the “we are not in any more, we don't have to do a thing or pay what we'd already agrees” ideas many brexit supporters seemed to have were pure fantasy). Most divorces are more complicated than the marriage that preceded them.

Of course, it is all us remoaners fault for not helping the leavers make their plan. :)