The Challenge of Stoicism and Mental Health

It doesn’t matter how tough you are, there are some real challenges in agriculture. What do they say on the airplane? Make sure you’ve got your own mask secure before you help anyone else. Tara Haskins, Total Farm Health Director for AgriSafe Network.

“People that work in agriculture tend to be very stoic, they tend to take care of things themself. Pull yourself up by the boot straps even when you’re facing adversity and that’s what allowed them to be successful because unexpected weather events and disasters have not just started happening. It’s been happening for hundreds of years.”

This sort of rugged independence can also create some challenges.

“Sometimes that mentality or that expectation that that’s how they have to approach things also can be a barrier for reaching out for help. I think the first thing should be to understand that reaching out for help doesn’t mean you’re weak. It actually is an opportunity for you to look for solutions. And farmers and ranchers look for solutions all the time, they may just look for them at the ag extension, the state department of ag, or with their fellow colleagues and other producers in the area.”

That could be from a healthcare professional or a simple as reaching out to a neighbor. It’s real. It’s challenging. You’ve got this. Find more resources at agrisafe.org.