How to Recognize the Warning Signs of Stress and Deal with Hard Times in Farming
From epidemic illnesses impacting pigs to falling commodity prices to increasing farm debt load, many factors cause stress among pig farmers today. Find out how to recognize the warning signs of stress, practical ways to deal with tough times and 3 tips to get your health on track in Farm Journal’s PORK’s new e-book, “Your Guide to Mental Health.”
As National Mental Health Awareness Month draws to a close, check out these 10 articles that tackle mental health and suicide awareness to help reduce the stigma so many experience.
10. Alleviate Stress on the Farm with These 5 Steps
Life on the farm is unpredictable at best – especially when many factors impacting your day are out of your control. Here's why it is important to be proactive when it comes to farm management.
9. Why Mental Health Matters on the Farm
A little bit better is a little bit better, said Ted Matthews, director of Minnesota Rural Mental Health. Matthews dispels myths about mental health, counseling and anxiety on the farm.
8. Break the Stigma: It Starts With You and Me
What would it look like for suicide to be a topic we don’t avert our eyes to? I think it starts with understanding and a willingness to break the stigma.
7. By Her Own Hand: A Farm Girl’s Miraculous Journey from Death to Hope
Maddison Caldwell woke up on Dec. 19, 2019, with a plan for the ultimate act of finality. Death by her own hand. For those who know Maddison, it’s difficult to understand why she attempted suicide. But a young girl with limited vision could see no other options. Here's her story.
6. Breaking Taboo: Parent’s Worst Nightmare, Child’s Near-Fatal Decision
Early mornings and late nights on the farm have provided Todd and Kim Caldwell with the unique opportunity to spend quality time with their children. The extra work required to raise and show livestock keeps the family of five busy together. That’s why Kim Caldwell was caught completely off guard when her oldest daughter, Maddison, attempted suicide on Dec. 19, 2019. “We felt like we were spending all this time with our kids and yet we were missing something with Maddison,” Kim says.
5. Toxic Grit: Is Our Greatest Strength Our Greatest Weakness on the Farm?
“Suck it up buttercup.” This familiar phrase is one many farmers and ranchers learn early in life: be tough, self-reliant and resilient. Although those aren’t bad traits, Shannon Ferrell, an ag law specialist at Oklahoma State University, said that line of thinking can cause us to become inward-facing and discourages us to talk about our feelings.
4. Connect With Farmers In-Person On Mental Health
When it comes to mental health information, a new study shows farmers want to receive information face-to-face from their innermost circle. Limited access to mental health care in rural areas often makes it challenging for farmers coping with stress and uncertainty due to economic and environmental conditions.
3. Simple, Daily Habits to Help Manage Stress
Health is the most important asset for any operation, says Sean Brotherson, an Extension specialist at North Dakota State University. He shares a few ways to prioritize your health, especially in times of crisis.
2. 7 Tips to Help You In Tough Times
Here are some ideas, tips and strategies that can help you turn lemon days into lemonade.
1. When Your Trampoline Breaks: Avoid Isolation
Trampolines are like your friends during a crisis, says Sean Brotherson, an Extension family life specialist at North Dakota State University. “If you’ve ever bounced on a trampoline, you know it will catch you and bounce you back up. That’s what supportive relationships are like in our lives,” Brotherson says.
Click here to download the eBook.
You can find online resources on how to prevent suicide from the Centers for Disease Control website or by calling the U.S. National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at (800) 273-8255.
