Seminar Raises Awareness About Stress
Published: Friday, February 4, 2022
From a snowstorm to a perfect storm—storms are a way to characterize events, identifying the significance and damage created by something greater than the norm.
A storm has power, causes destruction beyond a quick fix, and can leave a path of trauma to those who live through it.
Agriculture in many ways has been brewing up the perfect storm for several years, and as that storm progresses year after year, it can leave in its wake stress and trauma to farmers, their families, employees, and the greater rural communities surrounding people in production agriculture.
Purdue Extension Service recently hosted a virtual seminar to help farmers work through the storms of farm stress and recognize symptoms of stress beyond the normal capacity. The presentation was made by Shannon Chipman, Ohio County, and Robby Kelly, Elkhart County Extension Service.
Not all stress is bad. The stress that comes with an event like the birth of a child, preparing for a wedding or a major trip can be an exciting time, even though the details leading up to the event can be a source of stress.
Farming and agriculture have their own set of stressors that never seem to relent. Long bouts of prolonged, traumatic stress can manifest in physical ailments such as chronic pain, headaches, ulcers, high blood pressure and racing heartbeats. In rural areas, a high percentage of doctor visits are related to ailments from severe stress according to Kelly.
Withdrawal, anxiety, anger, sadness, bitterness, depression and hopelessness are mental manifestations of prolonged severe stress. Changes in sleep or eating patterns, drugs or alcohol use, sudden angry outburst are more stress indicators. Serious signs of neglect around the farm that reflect an emerging pattern such as livestock, buildings and equipment that are not up to a normal standard, are also stress indicators.
Chronic stress alters brain function and even brain size, Kelly says.
"A person under stress experiences a continuous production of cortisol, which primes the body for instant action. Overloading fear receptors in the brain can cause the brain to shrink, leading to difficulty in concentration, decisionmaking, recall and social interactions. A long-term result can even be Alzheimer's Disease."
There are methods to managing stress and realizing the mind and body are under attack. Recognizing the physical and emotional stress signs is step one. Realize that prices, weather and natural disasters are all beyond personal control. Sometimes choices are made and must be accepted. Try not to add to the stress by having interactions with family, partners and employees that will escalate the problem.
When stress begins to build, Chipman suggests an immediate approach of the three-step four-second breathe; breathe in four seconds, hold four seconds, release four seconds and repeat until a level of calmness returns.
Exercise helps release cortisol and improves oxygen flow throughout the body. Yes, farming is physically demanding, but its physicality doesn't replace regular exercise which can be a simple walk or bike ride for 30 minutes at least three times weekly, or ideally a minimum of 20 minutes daily.
A mindset that helps look beyond the present situation can be helpful, according to Chipman.
"Think beyond the present to one month, three months and six months into the future, and how will the present situation look then," she said.
"Choosing three words to describe yourself like calm, capable and controlled, for example, are ways of adding to our positive self-talk and repeating them while doing the four-second breathing exercise can also be helpful."
Maintaining social connections with friends, family, church and community is important to mental health. If a person is noticeably absent from activities that were once an enjoyable part of life, it is important to check up on the missing individual.
Mental health is a hard subject to broach and is often taboo, especially among the farming community. However, help is available, and reducing the stigma around seeking professional mental help when needed is an important way to eliminate the stigma.
Unchecked stress and depression can lead to the breaking point of suicide. While it's a grim conversation, asking an individual if they are contemplating suicide is not known to be the trigger for completing the act. In fact, Chapman says it is often a relief to know that someone else sees their struggle. A person who responds affirmatively to the suicide question should never be left alone and should be immediately connected with help. One source is the national suicide hotline at 800/273-TALK (8255).
"You wouldn't ignore a broken leg and just expect it to heal on its own," Chipman said. "The same is true of our mental health. It is necessary to get help to fix whatever is broken."
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