Even Superman has his limits.
Written for Farm Futures and originally published at xxx on xxx
Farms are dangerous places, and most of us know of someone who was injured or killed in a farm accident. When accidents happen the farm community rallies around the family and provides support. Go to many farms today, and there you will see high-visibility clothing, training programs, and discussions on how to stay safe during pre-harvest employee meetings.
Farming is dangerous, beyond equipment-related injuries and deaths. Farming kills and injures at the mental level as well, but we often don’t want to acknowledge it. The latest CDC studies show farmers are over three times more likely to commit suicide than the general population. Whenever suicide occurs, it usually shakes the family and rural community. But what is often not understood or acknowledged are the other mental health conditions such as Stress, Anxiety, and Substance Abuse.
What makes managing the farmer’s mental health so tough? While I’m not a psychiatrist, here are several observations from discussions with clients who have dealt with mental health challenges.
- Isolation – Many farmers work alone. Even if there are employees, there are no peers readily available to have deep discussions about mental health. Other than a spouse, there is often no one at work to talk to.
- Lack of Privacy – Farmers live in close-knit communities. There is still a stigma surrounding mental health. For example, even if the local clinic has a mental health provider, it’s hard to sit in the waiting room and not be recognized by neighbors and friends. No one would think twice about being seen in the waiting room of the local cardiologist, but being seen outside the door of a mental health professional carries a stigma. Let’s face it. People talk in a small town.
- Culture of Grit – Farming is tough and requires grit, gumption, and perseverance. While these are admirable traits, mental health is not fixed by gritting it out.
- Self-reliance – Farmers have everything on their shoulders. People look to you daily to fix their problems, know the answers, and accomplish big things. It’s not easy asking for help and admitting you don’t have the answer.
- External Stressors – Farming has unique stressors that are often beyond your control—finances, weather, markets, and long hours all chip away at mental reserves.
- Traditional fixes aren’t easy – Solutions to recharge aren’t always possible. Taking time off and away from livestock or harvest isn’t possible. Sometimes, the stress of taking a few days off creates more worry about what is going on back home. Changing jobs isn’t possible because so much rests on your shoulders. The bank still needs to be paid, and the grain must be marketed.
I’m not a licensed mental health professional, but I see the pain and hear the stories from around kitchen tables and board rooms. As a profession, we need to talk to each other and ask how we deal with stress. As families working in a business together, we need to encourage time off to recharge. Some farms mandate a rolling time off schedule of a couple of days, even in harvest. For example, every employee must take two consecutive days off every month to rest and recharge. Some farms pay for a local health professional to field calls from their employees at no cost to the employee. It’s discreet and can be done from the tractor cab.
We need to build depth on our bench and spread out the tasks wherever possible. Delegate responsibility and authority to others. While creating a solid team around you will not fix the weather or the markets, it can help you spread the load onto others.
Most importantly, we need to be honest about the stress we are feeling. We need to pay attention to how our coworkers, family, and ourselves are holding up. Not always, but often, there are signs if we pay attention.
Finally, the farming profession needs to bring mental health out of the shadows. We need to make it OK to talk about mental health and discuss it at employee meetings, family councils, and other events. We must search and use our local resources in family, church, and medical professionals.
Superman feared Kryptonite because the dangerous radiation sapped his power. Unacknowledged and untreated mental health will do the same to any Superman farmer. As you grow the crops to feed the world, take stock of your mental health and those around you. You, your family, your employees, and your business will all be better off.