Notes from The Farmer’s Daughter – Take time for a Mental Health Check
As we finish off a weekend of celebrating and posting on our social media networks about all the things we are grateful for, let’s take some time to acknowledge the stress we may also be feeling.
These other feelings don’t go away because we choose not to share them out loud or, worse, ignore them. Stress can land on you like the weight of the world or sneak up on you almost unnoticed.
I, for one, have been feeling more stressed lately, and yes, I know I have plenty to be thankful for, but that doesn’t diminish the stress. I’m sure I am not alone when I choose to speak out and say that there has been a lingering feeling gnawing at me like a mouse nibbling away trying to gain entry into the house before winter.
What do we do when faced with the reality of a mouse trying to get inside? We strengthen the structure or ask for help to keep the potential intruder from gaining access. Similarly, we need to be proactive in setting up a stress defence. Thus, I have decreased my screen time, increased my positive self-talk, bumped up my vitamin intake and outdoor activity, ensured I have adequate rest and exercise while being more mindful of my overall health.
It can be easy for priorities to become skewed when additional responsibilities fall on our shoulders and farmers are no different when the demands of harvesting crops can significantly alter their routine. Unfortunately, a person’s health and wellness can quickly slip to the bottom of the “to do” list.
That is why I am now choosing to remind my farming friends and family and everyone else to check in on themselves and others, making time for a mental health check and prioritizing it. Though World Mental Health Day was October 10th, I feel that we need to make an effort every day to speak about mental health, so it becomes as natural as discussing our physical health. We need to normalize the conversation so that when someone needs help, they will seek it before it’s too late.
If you or someone you know needs some assistance, thankfully, several resources are available to help. The Ontario Mental Health Line is available 24/7 at 1-866-531-2600 connexontario.ca. The Distress Centre of Ontario has a free, confidential online text and/or chat program available at dcontario.org/services daily (or Text “SUPPORT” to 258258 from 2 pm to 2 am for people experiencing emotional distress or crisis.
Grain Farmers of Ontario has a Counselling Directory gfo.ca/farmerwellness/support-resources that includes a list of psychologists and social workers practicing in Ontario with a background or experience in the ag industry.
Bounceback 1-866-345-0224 is a free skill-building program managed by the Canadian Mental Health Association designed to help adults and youth manage low mood, mild to moderate depression, anxiety, stress or worry. Check bouncebackontario.ca for more info.
“The Ontario government has announced an expansion of online and virtual mental health supports, including BounceBack to help Ontarians navigating the difficult realities in the wake of COVID-19”.
Wellness Together Canada was also funded by the Government of Canada “in response to the unprecedented rise in mental distress due to the pandemic.” Check out wellnesstogether.ca for help that is a call or click away.
Local support is also available for you and your child through Children’s Mental Health of Leeds and Grenville at 1-800-809-2494.
Mental Health is too important to ignore, and I think we could all agree that we have seen an increase in stress, so why let it fester and become something more. Like mice, stress can multiply if left unchecked!
