By Emily Wilmes, U of M Extension
It’s no secret that we are seeing an increase in stress and mental well-being concerns across the countryside. There are a myriad of factors contributing to this issue, and it’s impossible to pinpoint one single cause. However, we still need to work together to confront this issue.
If you’re worried about your own stress or mental well-being, know that you are not alone. Talking to someone about how you have been feeling is a great first step in finding help and getting better. You can reach out to a loved one, friend, clergy member, or your medical provider. You can also contact a mental health counselor. If you’re concerned about someone else, it can be hard to bring it up to them. However, bringing it up will let them know you care about them and are concerned, and can be a step towards them getting the help they need.
If you aren’t sure what to say, here are three simple statements and questions from mentalhealth.gov that can help you start the conversation:
• I’ve been worried about you. Can we talk about what you are experiencing? If not, who are you comfortable talking to?
• I am someone who cares and wants to listen. What do you want me to know about how you are feeling?
• It seems like you are going through a difficult time. How can I help you to find help?
Our mental health and well-being can be uncomfortable to discuss, but by sharing honestly and openly about it and our concerns, we are able to foster comfortable conversations. Reaching out to someone can be difficult, but it could be the first step towards recovery and finding help.
I recently held a program titled, “Farming in Tough Times” that included a panel of producers discussing their own experiences with stress and mental health. The panelists were asked what one piece of advice they would share with someone going through a similar situation. All four responded with the same answer: talk to someone. Tell someone you trust how you’re feeling. You don’t need to go through this alone. There are so many people in our lives that care about us and are more than willing to listen to us. If you aren’t comfortable talking to someone you know, you can always call the Farm and Rural Helpline, 24 hours a day, at 833-600-2670. The helpline is free and confidential; and calls are answered by trained staff and volunteers.
If you are interested in additional resources on this topic or would like to talk, you can contact me at (320) 255-6169, ext. 3, or krek0033@umn.edu. You can also visit minnesotafarmstress.com for more information.