Dairyland Peach, May 10, 2020 Page 22
Farm
Manage stress to better manage the farm
By UNMC, Central States
Center for Agricultural
Safety and Health
Stressors on and off the
farm have seldom been
more prominent than they
are today.
While some stress can
result in positive out-
comes, how much is too
much?
Extension
educator
at the University of Ne-
braska/Lincoln, Brandy
VanDeWalle, said per-
sistent stress that causes
prolonged sleeplessness,
marked changes in behav-
ior, or dependence on sub-
stances such as drugs or
alcohol, are red flags that
generally signal a need for
professional assistance.
“Stress that motivates
us to get things done, such
as planting and harvest,
can be a good thing,”
VanDeWalle said. “If
stressful situations drain
our energy and make us
overly anxious or with-
draw from socializing, we
may need to seek help to
deal with it.”
Signs of stress overload
may include a sudden lack
of ability to make deci-
sions, abrupt agitation,
declining quality in work
such as caring for live-
stock.
“That kind of situation
could lead to increased ac-
cidents, which hopefully
aren’t fatal,” VanDeWalle
said.
Stress is defined as
“anxiety, strain, or ten-
sion caused by a new
burden or outside force,
resulting in an internal
struggle that often causes
apprehension or uneasi-
ness.” Increased levels of
stress over a long period
of time may threaten an
individual’s mental and/
or physical health. The
key to dealing with stress
can lie in our acceptance
skills, which allow us to
see the stressor as control-
lable or uncontrollable.
Additional symptoms
may
include
moodi-
ness, neglecting personal
health, low self-esteem,
loneliness, hopelessness
and thoughts of suicide.
To help cope with
stress, begin evaluating
your ability to deal with
it by asking yourself some
questions:
1. Has this happened
before?
2. What did I learn
the last time this hap-
pened?
3. Are my fears real-
istic?
4. Next year, how im-
portant will this be?
5. What else can I do?
Helpful self-talk includes:
1. I did the best I
could in that situation.
2. Things are hard, so
I will focus more.
3. Someday we will
laugh about this.
4. This is a learning
experience.
5. Focus on control-
ling what is controllable.
Maintaining a posi-
tive attitude and avoiding
automatic assumptions
about negative outcomes
helps in living and work-
ing with others to identify
solutions to stressors.
Other ways to reduce
stress include:
• Regular exercise
• Prioritize times for
leisure activities
• Eating healthy
• Managing time and
planning work/activities
• Begin a new hobby or
revive a past one
• Get enough sleep and
maintain a regular sleep
schedule
• Look for something
positive in each day
• Connect with sources
of support
• Set realistic goals and
expectations
• Balance work and
play
• Don’t be afraid to ask
for help
“Pride, reluctance to
admit to any weakness
and fear of stigma related
to a need for counseling or
help with stressful condi-
tions are all reasons peo-
ple avoid reaching out,”
VanDeWalle said. “Farm-
ers are sometimes fearful
that a counselor won’t tru-
ly understand the stresses
of farm life. Anyone who
has an uncomfortable ex-
perience with a counselor
should know they can
seek a different counsel-
ing source. It’s like ob-
taining a second opinion
for a health issue. Don’t
hesitate to look further for
the source that fully meets
your need.”
Signs of excessive
stress may be apparent
to family and friends well
before a person sees their Farmers, like anyone else, need to find ways to reduce stress.
need for assistance. In that
case, active listening is an it’s critical to use a non- to contact them.”
fidential mental health
important tool in discov- judgmental approach.
If the offer to help is services and information
ering the best path to well-
“On my phone, I use met with a negative re- about farm mediation
ness.
the name AAA to keep sponse, let the person clinics at 800-464-0258.
“It can be very difficult the National Suicide Pre- know that the gesture was
Farm Mediation, a
to know how to approach vention Hotline number made because their per- service to help resolve
someone if you believe (800-273-8255) at the top sonal well-being is impor- disputes involving farm
they’re
of my list,” tant to you.
loans, etc., is available by
struggling
VanDeWalle
“You might also tell calling 402-471-4876.
“It can be very
to
cope,”
said. “That them you believe it’s bet-
Nebraska
Resource
difficult to know way, if I’m ter to lose their friendship and Referral System
VanDeWal-
le said. “We
how to approach talking to than to see them lose their (NRRS) lists toll free
should be
s o m e o n e life,” VanDeWalle said. numbers, websites, and
someone if you
empathetic,
who needs “If they are angry, it’s email contacts to help in
believe they are help, I have likely they’ll get over it in quickly connecting to spe-
sympathetic
and
per- struggling to cope.” i m m e d i at e time. If not, it’s still better cific services. Visit nrrs.
haps share
access to as- to act on an instinct than ne.gov.
some
in- — Brandy VanDeWalle sistance.”
regret not helping some-
sight gained
Anytime one who ends up harming Additional resources:
in our own struggles with a person acknowledges themselves.”
Crisis Text Line – Text
a similar situation. We thoughts of suicide, it’s
“There
are
many HOME to 741741
could ask if the person recommended that they stressors that farmers
National Suicide Pre-
has considered talking are not allowed to be iso- can’t control,” VanDe- vention Resource Center
to someone about their lated and by themselves Walle said. “Commod- at www.sprc.org – find in-
situation and shouldn’t before receiving help.
ity prices, weather, equip- formation about suicide,
hesitate to ask if they’ve
“If you’re able to con- ment breakdowns. When effective prevention in-
considered hurting them- nect them with a resource, families farm together, it formation, resources and
selves or taking their life.” you might offer to follow may involve unique types programs, training, news
While confronting sui- up with them in a few of stress. All of us can and highlights and more.
cidal thoughts may be days to see how they’re adopt the attitude that
uncomfortable, research doing,” VanDeWalle said. we manage what we can
Funding for this educa-
documents that those who “If you extend that offer, and do the best with those tional article comes from
attempt suicide say they be sure to follow up with things that are out of our the Central States Center
were less likely to try hurt- them. For someone who’s control.”
for Agricultural Safety and
ing themselves if someone suicidal, there’s nothing
Nebraska’s Rural Re- Health and the University
had asked them how they worse than failing to show sponse Hotline offers of Nebraska Medical Cen-
were doing. In every case, your support by forgetting no-cost vouchers for con- ter.
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