Mental Health on the Homestead and Farm

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Text the keyword ‘4hope’ to 741 741 to be connected to a trained Crisis Counselor with this free, confidential service.

Stigmas lead people to make judgements and buy into myths about mental health and drug and alcohol use disorders. The truth is, when you see someone living with mental health or substance use disorders, there’s always more to the story than you know. Learn more about the real risk factors for mental illness and addiction—and how you can help.

Food has the power to temporarily alleviate stress and sadness, enhance joy, and bring us comfort when we need it most. It's no wonder experts estimate that 75 percent of overeating is triggered by our emotions, not physical hunger. The good news is you can instead soothe yourself through dozens of mindful activities that are healthy for both body and mind.

Susan Albers, author of Eating Mindfully, now offers 50 Ways to Soothe Yourself Without Food, a collection of mindfulness skills and practices for relaxing the body in times of stress and ending your dependence on eating as a means of coping with difficult emotions. You'll not only discover easy ways to soothe urges to overeat, you'll also learn how to differentiate emotion-driven hunger from healthy hunger. Reach for this book instead of the refrigerator next time you feel the urge to snack-these alternatives are just as satisfying!

To make the journey into The Power of Now you need to leave your analytical mind and its false created self, the ego, behind. Access to the Now is everywhere - in the body, the silence, and the space all around you. These are the keys to enter a state of inner peace. They can be used to bring you into the Now, the present moment, where problems do not exist. It is here you find your joy and are able to embrace your true self. It is here you discover that you are already complete and perfect.
Although the journey is challenging, Eckhart Tolle offers simple language in a question and answer format. The words themselves are the signposts to guide you on your journey. There are new discoveries to be made along the way: you are not your mind, you can find your way out of psychological pain, authentic human power is found by surrendering to the Now. When you become fully present and accepting of what is, you open yourself to the transforming experience of The Power of Now.

Learn the habits of successful people. The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People has captivated readers for over 30 years and sold over 40 million internationally. It has transformed the lives of Presidents and CEOs, educators, parents, and students—in short, millions of people of all ages and occupations have benefited from Dr. Covey's 7 Habits book. And, it can transform you.

The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, Infographics Edition guides you through each habit step-by-step:

Habit 1: Be Proactive
Habit 2: Begin With The End In Mind
Habit 3: Put First Things First
Habit 4: Think Win-Win
Habit 5: Seek First To Understand Then Be Understood
Habit 6: Synergize
Habit 7: Sharpen The Saw

The suicide rate for farmers is more than double that of veterans. A former farmer gives an insider’s perspective on farm life – and how to help

Suicide rates among farmers and farm workers are among the highest of any occupation in the U.S. In part two of this series on farmer mental health, we talk to members of the Washington Young Farmers Coalition about the organizing they launched in response to the loss of founding member Justin McClane in 2017. We also hear from Matt Perdue of the National Farmers Union, Joe Schroeder of Farm Aid, and journalist Debbie Weingarten, author of the pivotal Guardian piece on farmer suicide, "Why are America's farmers killing themselves?"

EPISODE SUMMARY
Miles Griffin and Amanda Doughty currently live on 20 acres in Twisp, Washington. Amanda is a licensed therapist, who works off the farm full-time but loves a good Saturday weeding session. Miles is the owner and operator of Posterity Farm, producing pastured turkeys, wholesale organic garlic, and diversified vegetables. Miles and Amanda find deep interest in the intersection of their professions, especially the contrast between the risk factors that farmers face and the inherent therapeutic benefits of their practices. Miles and Amanda hope to one day use their experiences to develop a farm therapy
program that reduces stigma around mental health and addresses food insecurity, community-building, and job training. If you are interested in learning more about t

Talking Total Farmer Health
AgriSafe has long been a trusted voice in the health and safety of the people who feed the world, and we’re excited to bring that to you in a new format. Tune in every month to hear the latest from health and safety experts in agriculture. Together we’ll tackle the safety issues important to the producers and ag workers.

AgriSafe was formed in 2003 by rural nurses who believed that together they could improve the health and safety of farmers and ranchers. Today, AgriSafe builds the competency of health and safety professionals to deliver exceptional occupational agricultural health care.

When people call, text, or chat 988, they will be connected to trained counselors that are part of the existing Lifeline network. These trained counselors will listen, understand how their problems are affecting them, provide support, and connect them to resources if necessary.

In honor of Mental Health Month, Agriculture Secretary Russell Redding joined Jayne Sebright, Executive Director, Center for Dairy Excellence; Tara Haskins, DNP, RN, AgriSafe Total Farmer Health Director; and Ginger Fenton, Penn State Extension Educator to discuss farm stress and mental health resources available to Pennsylvania farmers and their families.

In this episode we speak with Dr. Briana Hagen about tailoring mental health programs to the needs of farmers. She explains how mental health in farming is fundamentally different than in other sectors. And she points toward solutions and successful programs across the country including the program called, In the Know, which she helped developed at the University of Guelph.

Cynthia Beck and her family run a cattle and grain operation in South-East Saskatchewan. After facing her own mental health challenges and discovering a lack of resources tailored towards the agricultural sector, Cynthia decided to do something about it. She shares her story of overcoming depression and her commitment to helping others in the agricultural community address their own mental health. For the past six years she has been a crisis line worker, specifically for producers and ranchers, and is currently completing a master's degree in clinical psychology at the University of Regina.

Stress, suicide, and mental health conditions impact agricultural communities, where economic, social, and environmental forces challenge the health and safety of farmers.

Raising awareness of farm stress is important, but offering some tools to help weather the stress is critical. This interactive online series was designed to help women in agriculture cultivate resiliency by focusing on what they can control in these challenging times and connect them with resources and information that can help them weather stress.

Man Therapy is an interactive mental health campaign targeting working age men that employs humor to cut through stigma and tackle issues like depression, divorce and anxiety.

Agriculture is the number one industry in Ohio. We know our farmers give so much of themselves to keep the industry strong. We also know so many factors in farming are out of a farmer’s control, and that can be stressful. Wondering if the weather will cooperate, long hours working alone – it can all affect the well-being of the farm family. We want you to know, you’re not alone. We want you to know, there is help available. We want you to know, we’ve got your back.

Understanding farming culture and stressors unique to the agricultural community is essential to addressing farmers’ emotional health and wellbeing.

The research conducted by Morning Consult among rural adults sought to understand the current
impressions of mental health, including stigma, access to mental health resources, trusted resources
for mental health information, contributors to the mental health of farmers, effective actions to reduce
stigma associated with mental health, the scope of the problem of mental health, and personal
experiences with mental health.

As part of our ongoing efforts to raise awareness, reduce stigma and share resources related to mental health, we've partnered with Farm Credit and National Farmers Union on a special with RFD-TV on farm stress and farmer mental health.

At Farm Aid, we believe it’s essential to bring attention to the unique stressors that family farmers face; call for increased mental health resources for rural America; and show farmers they are not alone, and there is help. In fact, managing farm stress is just as important as managing the farm.

Rural Response to Farmer Mental Health and Suicide Prevention Hub - listing all sorts of related help information.

Down on the Farm: Supporting Farmers in Stressful Times is a 3-hour workshop that teaches people who live and work in agricultural communities how to recognize and respond when they suspect a farmer or farm family member might need help. It can be offered in-person or online.

Farming and ranching is stressful business. One key metric of a production system's social sustainability is its capacity to provide farmers and ranchers with a quality of life that provides for one of their most basic human needs - good mental health.