Prioritizing positive mental health for farmers
Originally published in Milk Producer.
As farm owners and operators, we know that a healthy team is a productive team. We proactively support the physical and mental health of our workers by prioritizing safe work conditions, a positive environment, and a good work-life balance. So, why don’t we prioritize these things for ourselves?
“Farmers worry about everyone and everything on the farm except themselves,” says Ryan Dick, Health and Safety Consultant with Workplace Safety and Prevention Services. “They are part of the farm team too,” he says. “They need to pay attention to their own health and well-being along with that of others on the farm.”
Stress from the financial uncertainty often faced by farmers, coupled with the isolation of being in remote locations can lead to depression, anxiety, and other mental health challenges. Add to that the ongoing stigma of mental illness among the community and a lack of accessible mental health supports, it’s not surprising that mental health suffering among farmers has been rising.
To address this growing concern and promote wellness and resilience, the Farmer Wellness Initiative was launched with funding from the provincial and federal governments. The Farmer Wellness Initiative (farmerwellnessinitiative.ca) is a twenty-four-hour telehealth line that provides mental wellness support and free counselling services to Ontario farmers and their families. When you call, you will speak with trained professionals who understand the unique circumstances of life as a farmer.
“Having this kind of access to mental health supports is really important for the farming community,” says Ryan. “And it’s someone other than your spouse or your neighbour. Sometimes it’s easier to discuss problems with someone who’s not involved in your daily life.”
5 coping strategies for positive mental health
Ryan hopes more farmers will use this free counselling resource to help cope with periods of high stress and anxiety. He also recommends these five tips to sustain positive mental health.
- Set aside time for yourself. We all need a separation between our workday and our home life; however, this can be more difficult to accomplish when you live and work on your farm. Ryan recommends finding an activity you enjoy that helps you relax. Do this activity at the end of your workday. “Remind yourself that it’s time to stop for the day and give yourself some time to decompress,” says Ryan. “If you don’t, you’ll keep adding more to your to-do list and you’ll eventually burnout.”
- Attend social events. Whether it’s an organized community event, dinner with a neighbour, or an employee lunch, being with others and having that social interaction is important.
- Check-in with friends and family. If you haven’t heard from your neighbour in a while or you see that a family member is overly irritable, take a minute to ask them how they are doing. Changes in behaviour, even small ones, may be an indication that something isn’t quite right.
- Take care of your physical health. Getting enough sleep, eating well, and staying physically active help to cope with stress. When your physical health is on track, you feel better.
- Talk to someone. Keeping things to yourself creates feelings of isolation. Talk to your friends, family members, or call the Farmer Wellness Initiative. Acknowledge how you feel and talk to someone about it.
You are an important part of the farm team and your health matters just as much as everything else. Check out Agriculture Wellness Ontario to find out more about the mental health resources available to you.
The information in this article is accurate as of its publication date.
