Stress in Agriculture Pt 2
I’m Bob Larson. Labor shortages across the country are causing the stress levels on American farms and ranches to build-up with increased work-loads.
North Dakota State University Extension Service’s Sean Brotherson says it’s important for friends and family to watch for the physical, mental, emotional, and relational signs of stress that the farmer or rancher may be struggling with …
BROTHERSON … “Physically, you'll start to see things like it might affect your appetite. Some people start having digestive issues, or else they start eating their stress, so they tend to eat a lot more. Some people will see it with their sleep, so they start having sleep concerns where they're having insomnia or trouble sleeping, as well as headaches, backaches, neck aches.”
And that, Brotherson says can be overwhelming …
BROTHERSON … “Emotionally, you may feel overwhelmed, you may feel a sense of hopelessness or discouragement or irritability, signs of anger in yourself that wouldn’t normally experience.”
At that point, Brotherson says it can all be just too much …
BROTHERSON … “Mentally, you might feel like it's hard for you to make decisions; they might feel a sense of confusion about things, just not as much mental clarity, you might have thoughts that are self-defeating thoughts like no matter what you do, you're not going to be able to control this, and you're not going to be able to manage the situations.”
Brotherson says there are a lot of valuable resources to help manage stress, and it’s vital to remember seeking help is not a sign of weakness, it’s a sign of wisdom.
He says farmers and ranchers will see a high return when they spend time managing their health and wellness.
