STATE COLLEGE, Pa. – Penn State University (PSU) extension recently offered a webinar designed to help professionals in the agricultural industry assist farmers under stress.

The objectives of the Feb. 15 webinar included building awareness around potentially stressful conditions affecting some farmers, according to Ginger D. Fenton, Penn State extension dairy educator. Participants were also given tips on identifying signs of stress, approaching farmers who may not cope with stress effectively, and where to go for additional help.

“Many of us know farming is stressful,” she noted. “Farmers have many challenges day to day that they face. It can be hard on the body.”

As an example of how stressful farming can be, Fenton mentioned a report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention that found that every day, about 100 agricultural workers suffer an injury leading to lost work time.

The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health has said that farm laborers and farm owners had the highest death rates due to stress conditions among various occupations the agency examined, she said. The stress conditions included heart and artery disease, hypertension, ulcers and nervous disorders, Fenton stated.

“I think this emphasizes why we need to manage the effects of unwanted stress and realize that stress makes farmers more accident prone and can affect their health and well being,” she pointed out. “That’s why it’s important to identify these stressors, understand what the symptoms are and try and manage stress.”

The most productive step a person dealing with stress can take is to simply accept the situation, try to cope with it and learn how to deal with it, said Amber Hughes, PSU extension food, families and health educator. She suggested accepting the stressor before beginning the problem-solving process.

“A lot of people are surprised that sometimes the things that make us the most stressed are really those things that we cannot control,” she explained. “It’s a good eye opener for us to realize that not all problems can be solved and we can’t change every situation that is causing us stress.”

Hughes divided the signs of stress into five categories: physical, emotional, behavioral, cognitive and self-worth. Signs listed under physical included headaches, eating and sleeping problems, ulcers and exhaustion. Under emotional, Hughes mentioned such things as sadness, depression, anger, and loss of spirit and sense of humor.

Irritability was one sign noted under behavioral. Also included in the category were acting out, increased drinking, taking drugs, and isolation. Signs under the cognitive category included memory loss and lack of concentration. For self worth, the signs included feeling like a failure and not being able to fix things.

Signs and symptoms of chronic, prolonged stress in a farmer include a change in routine, care of livestock declining, increase in farm accidents, and the appearance of the farmstead declining, Hughes said.

It’s important to take all these signs seriously, she said. If you notice these things with those you’re working with, be sure you’re following and taking the next steps to provide them with resources to help them through their difficult time, Hughes said.

Hughes said steps to handle stress include deep breathing, meditating, exercise, diet and sleep, connecting with people in your social network, and speaking with a mental health professional. 

Farmers and farm families should be encouraged to talk to each other about what’s making them stressed out, she said. One way to provide support is to break down the stigma related to mental health treatment, Hughes said.

Someone considering approaching a farmer or any person under chronic stress should plan for the discussion, she noted. Things to consider include asking why you’re going to talk to the person under stress, what can you help them with, how much time are you willing to commit, and how can you be of value to them, Hughes said.

The goal should be an open, honest dialog, stated Jacqueline Amor-Zitzelberger, PSU extension educator and member of the family well-being team. You want to preserve the relationship, create safety and develop a shared purpose, she said. These skills require practice, Amor-Zitzelberger added.

In stressful situations, she said someone trying to help might say such things as, “I know of several farms in similar situations,” “Every situation is a little different. Help me understand better,” or “Let’s write down some of the pros and cons.”

She said the person trying to help should follow up, whether they said they would or not.

“People under stress typically don’t process things as well as expected,” Amor-Zitzelberger said. “They’re easily overwhelmed. Things start to get really muddled.

“Be sensitive to help people organize that information in a way that will enable them to remember and process what you discussed. If you know anyone who has ever been in a car accident, and you ask them what happened after the car accident, often they don’t remember.”

Stress can result in suicide, she said. Suicide warning signs include talking or writing about suicide or death, feeling hopeless, trapped or like a burden, giving away prized possessions, saying goodbyes or isolation from others.

“Those are red flags,” Amor-Zitzelberger said. “If you’re talking to them and it seems unusual that they’re saying those things, those are those red flags we need to be aware of.”

She said it’s OK to ask a person directly if they’re having thoughts of suicide. Asking directly doesn’t increase the risk of suicide, she said, adding the question may provide the person with relief that someone sees their struggle.

If the person responds they do have thoughts of suicide, Amor-Zitzelberger said not to leave the person alone. Call for help – such as 911 – or take them to a hospital or health care provider, she said.

The Suicide and Crisis Lifeline may be reached by calling 988.