As the various factors in agriculture weighs on producers, conversations surrounding #mentalhealthandsuicideawareness are becoming more common, as experts and others try to remove the #stigma around #mentalhealth. ( Farm Journal )
Farmers, ranchers and producers have taken an emotional rollercoaster ride in 2019. Between the trade war and relentless weather, producer outlooks are waning.
The latest Ag Economy Barometer, released by Purdue University and the CME Group,showed a dramatic downturn in producer sentiments, with the August reading falling to 124. The August reading is a 29-point drop from July.
The emotional toll of farming today is weighing on many farmers and ranchers. This is sparking serious conversations about #suicide and #mental health in an industry that the #CentersforDiseaseControl states has a suicide rate of double that of the general population.
#JamesDonaldsononMentalHealth –
Welcome to the “next chapter” of my life… being a voice and an advocate for #mentalhealthawarenessandsuicideprevention, especially pertaining to our younger generation of students and student-athletes.
Getting men to speak up and reach out for help and assistance is one of my passions. Us men need to not suffer in silence or drown our sorrows in alcohol, hang out at bars and strip joints, or get involved with drug use.
Having gone through a recent bout of #depression and #suicidalthoughts myself, I realize now, that I can make a huge difference in the lives of so many by sharing my story, and by sharing various resources I come across as I work in this space. #http://bit.ly/JamesMentalHealthArticle
When the unthinkable happens
Katie Lyons grew up on an Illinois farm and saw first-hand how depression can change farm families.
“When I was younger, he was always out playing with us in the yard having fun,” said Lyons, reflecting on what it was like growing up with her father on the farm. “We used to go swimming and do a lot of different activities and I try to hold those memories close because that’s all I’ve got left.”
Today, Lyons clinches onto pictures and memories of her father, after the unthinkable changed their family forever.
“My dad decided to take his life in 2013 after a long bout of depression and #anxiety on the farm, so it’s definitely had an impact on my life,” she said.
Lyons said #depression was something her dad battled for years, but when they would address it, she said her dad didn’t want to discuss what was going on.
“It just gradually got worse and worse and worse, to the point where he just couldn’t do it anymore,” said Lyons. “He decided that the only option was to take his life.”
That day took Lyons’ life on a sharp turn and she knew she had to make something good out of so much heartache.
“It wasn’t until after that happened that I realized how important it was and that we really should have had a lot of have stronger, different conversations than what we had been having leading up to it,” she said.
Ag is different
Adrienne DeSutter is a farm wife, a mom and specializes in behavioral heath, specifically in agriculture wellness. She said while #mentalhealth has many #stigmas, agriculture is unique.
“Farmers are some of the best caregivers in the world,” said DeSutter. “They care for crops, they care for land and they care for their animals, but they’re not always the best caregivers of themselves.”
DeSutter said farmers are naturally selfless, ambitious individuals who rarely rely on others to fix something wrong on the farm, that makes it hard to reach out when they need help with issues like #depression.
“They’re excellent at recognizing when an animal needs some intervention, but they’re self-reliant,” she said. “They want to do things themselves—they want to be the fixers and find the find the solutions.”
Know the signs
Both Lyons and DeSutter say there are warning signs to watch when it comes to #mentalhealth and someone possible considering taking their own life.
“He’d become very detached,” said Lyons talking about her father. “He’d taken himself out of a lot of different organizations that he’d previously been involved with. He didn’t get he didn’t do a lot of extracurricular activities. It was basically go to work, come home, go to bed type activities.”
DeSutter said those signs or changes in behavior are different person-to-person.
“This is not a secret formula, she said. “This is not something that looks the same for everyone. We’re just looking for something that has changed, or multiple things that have changed. Specifically, at the farm, you might find, you know that that livestock is being cared for less or that you might see things looking a little more rundown than normal.”
DeSutter said if any of these signs are starting to creep into the picture, the first step is to ask your primary care physician for help. The doctor can then refer you on to a specialist.
She said there are also other steps an individual can take to help improve the situation and relieve the #stress and burden caving in.
“Just expand your life beyond agriculture,” she said. “Find a book club or find a card club or have some friends that aren’t related to agriculture, just so that you can have a break, because that’s the uniqueness of farming is it’s a career, but it’s a lifestyle too.”
September is #SuicidePreventionAwarenessMonth; a topic becoming much more widely talked about in agriculture today.
It’s also an initiative Bayer’s Acceleron seed treatment brand launched this year, called “Farm State of Mind.”
“We look at #mentalhealth, and we look at stressors in agriculture is kind of that elephant in the room really,” said A.J. Hohmann, marketing manager for Bayer seed growth. “Let’s talk about it; let’s try to remove that negative stigma that’s associated with #mentalhealth in agriculture, and let’s just start the conversation. Let’s try to find inspiration for others who are maybe dealing with stress and #mentalhealth of their own.”
He said Acceleron is partnering with #mentalhealth experts and dedicated a website to the topic. It provides advice and tools to help navigate through such a tough situation.
“We want folks to talk about it,” said Hohmann. “We want to remove that stigma associated with mental health, and is that going to happen overnight? No, absolutely not. Is that going to happen just during the planting season, throughout the growing season? No, this is something we needed to be talking about year-round.”
Acceleron is inviting farmers to share their stories on Twitter, using #farmstateofmind.
Start the conversation
The growing awareness surrounding #mentalhealth was also on the mind of Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue during Farm Progress Show last week in Illinois.
“Any time there’s economic stress in the ag community or any sector, there’s anxiety,” he said. “There’s emotional distress, and it affects families and it affects communities.”
The open conversations about #mentalhealth and #suicide within agriculture is a welcomed change for Lyons, who is still coping with the loss of her father.
“It’s hard because there’s a huge #stigma around #mentalhealth,” she said. “We think it’s a weakness or something is wrong with us, but it’s a true medical condition. It’s just like cancer, just like anything else out there that we have going on with us. Sometimes we have to get help. And it’s, it’s hard to admit that sometimes. I want to make sure people know there’s resources out there, because I don’t want this to happen to another farm family.”
Remember You Matter
As the weight of challenges in agriculture get heavier, DeSutter has one plea: remember you matter.
“If you are sitting at home right now, and you feel like #depression is overwhelming you and you feel that sense of worthlessness and that sense of hopelessness, I just need you to know that your worth is not measured by the markets,” she said. “It’s not measured by your farm. You are a valuable person and what your mind is telling you right now that you’re a burden, that’s a lie. That’s a condition that’s taking over, and that’s your brain that needs some help. So, I just urge you to reach out talk to anyone that will listen.”
Those sentiments are something Lyons echoes, as loved ones left behind continue to grieve for years after a loved one is gone.
“My family went through a lot and still goes through a lot today,” she said. “It’s not something that just goes away, when you figure out how to live your life, we’re continually grieving even six years later, and so I want people to know that there are ways to get help, and there are resources out there and options so you don’t have to go down this path.”
Lyons said after her dad died, her family was forced to make some really tough decisions on the farm. They even sold portions of the farm, and at a more manageable level, her brother and family are still farming today.
She said knowing when it’s time to walk away is what helps keep her family going, as well as remembering to enjoy the little things in life.
James Donaldson is a Washington State University graduate (’79). After an outstanding basketball career with WSU, he went on to play professional basketball in the NBA with the Seattle Supersonics, San Diego/L.A. Clippers, Dallas Mavericks, New York Knicks, and Utah Jazz. He also played for several teams in the European Leagues in Spain, Italy, and Greece, and he toured with The Harlem Globetrotters to wrap up his career. James was an NBA All-Star in 1988 while playing center for the Dallas Mavericks. In 2006, James was inducted into the Pac-10 Sports Hall of Fame and also the Washington State University Athletic Hall of Fame. In 2010, James was elected as a board member for the NBA Retired Players Association.
James frequently conducts speaking engagements (motivational, inspirational, educational) for organizations, schools, and youth groups.
In 2010, James was the recipient of the NBA Legends of Basketball ABC Award, awarded for outstanding contributions in Athletics–Business–Community.
He believes in being a role model for success and professionalism to the scores of young people to whom he devotes so much of his time. He currently serves on several boards and committees and is a member of many organizations.
James believes in developing relationships that create a “Win-Win” environment for everyone involved, and in being the best he can be!
For more information about James Donaldson or to request he speak at your event, contact him at:
www.StandingAboveTheCrowd.com
[email protected]
1-800-745-3161 (voicemail & fax)
James Donaldson is the author of “Standing Above The Crowd” and “Celebrating Your Gift of Life” and founder of the Your Gift of Life Foundation which focuses on mental health awareness and suicide prevention, especially pertaining to our school aged children and men.
If you’re interested in having James come and speak to your group of young adults, business entrepreneurs, aspiring political and community leaders, and athletic teams, please contact him at [email protected] and or leave a personal message for him at 1-800-745-3161. Keep up with him and read about how he is reaching out and making a difference in the lives of so many around the world at www.yourgiftoflife.org
