skills may benefit farming in the
long run.
Farmers can increase ability to
be diverse in farm practices,
such as planting wheat, corn,
hay, dairy cattle…… it may be
better than relying on one crop
or farm animal.
Physical reactions and coping
strategies
When people encounter stress, the
body will start a complex chemical
reaction that prepares people to
“fight off” the stress. Physical reactions will cause blood pressure to
go up, heart to beat faster, digestive system to slow down, and
blood to clot more quickly. These
responses to stress can be very
damaging to physical health. Coping strategies may be to adopt a
healthy lifestyle that includes:
Preparing balanced meals more
at home (healthy and low cost).
Getting enough sleep.
Drink enough fluid to keep you
refreshed.
Getting exercise and keeping
your routine.
Spending time with family and
friends.
Trying to discover new hobbies
and new things you enjoy doing.
Monitor any signs of health
problems, and when you notice
the signs, check with your doctor right away.
Psychological or emotional reactions and coping strategies
A prolonged drought tends to bring
major life changes and crisis for
rural families. Prolonged uncertainty increases anxiety and stress within the household and the rural community. A series of normal emotions related to a drought, including feelings of being out of control
and at the mercy of the weather
and markets, fear of future lack of
finances to continue providing the
family and farming practices, strong
emotions such as frustration, anger,
helplessness and disappointment,
regret for decisions made /not
made, blaming others or yourself,
social isolation, grief and despair
associated with various losses such
as farm land or herds of stock, sadness associated with livestock or
crops suffer and/or die. Ineffective
and negative coping and stressful
events have a reciprocal relationship. For example, negative coping
may strain spouse and partner relationships, and generate more
stressful events in children, family
and life. Depression of parents is
highly associated with depression
and maladjustments of their children and adolescents.
Following are specific strategies to
strengthen your family relationships
and your own mental health:
Prolonged drought often compels farmer families to make agonizing decisions. It is better for
the partners (especially women)
both involved in mutual decision
-making process and reaching a
consensus. This strategy shows
improved family functioning,
family satisfaction, self-esteem,
and family coping levels
(Colorado State University Extension, fact sheet No. 10.256).
Express your affection to your
partner and make your relationships positive. Explain the
drought and related problems in
simple terms to your children.
Receive support from partners
and children
Plan family fun times each week
(Fetsch, 2012).
Reach out to extended families,
friends, and the community to
seek emotional and institutional
support you need.
Reframe the problems, stay positive and hopeful. Resort to religion and spiritual practices.
Avoid substance use to cope,
such as drinking more alcohol,
smoking, and illegal drug use,
which can only make your situations worse.
Monitor and identify the signs
related to depression and other
emotional or behavioral problems within yourself and family
members such as feeling numb
and empty, having difficulty
sleeping, and feeling “on-edge”
most of the time. If you notice
the signs, ask for professional
help immediately. There are a
large number of organisations
and individuals who could play a
vital role to provide support and
ease the burden of landowners
and sharecroppers. Talk to your
GP who will be able to assist you
towards finding the correct people/institutions/organisations to
consult.
Acknowledgements:
Dr Sarb Johal, clinical psychologist
from the Joint Centre for Disaster
Research, Massey University: How
to cope