Page 36 - BCHNews-WCDN1224-Web

36 WC DAIRY NEWS  CHRISTMAS 2024
Matt Treble - Manager,
Suicide Prevention & Life Promotion,
Canadian Mental Health Association, BC Division
Working in agriculture can be one of the most rewarding and fulfilling careers
that one can choose. However, it also can be one of the most challenging!
Constant regulation changes, unpredictable extreme weather events and more
can significantly increase feelings of stress for those working in agriculture. One
recent study conducted by Thompson et al. (2022) found that 62% of Canadian
agricultural producers reported experiencing some form of psychological
distress, 57% met the criteria for anxiety, 34% met the criteria for depression,
and one in four did not feel their life was worth living.
While this research may feel shocking and concerning, you may also find yourself
relating to these findings to some degree. More and more agricultural producers
are experiencing high stress and even burnout. The reality is that every single
human being has mental health, how we engage with our mental health is what
can help us strengthen it. This is an area that agricultural communities are very
strong in!
There is evidence that access to protective factors can make a positive difference
for someone’s mental health. Protective factors can be anything that help lower
or buffer risk, some examples are:
• Peer support and community connections
• Mental health awareness
• Mental health supports
• Access to healthcare
The agricultural community tends to look out for each other. This inherent
resilience is arguably the biggest protective factor supporting BC agriculture.
However, sometimes even when we have some protective factors, we can still
experience periods of high stress. This is completely normal, but if left unchecked,
can lead to potentially more serious problems like burnout.
What Does Stress Look Like?
Many people already have an idea of what stress looks like. Close your eyes and
imagine someone who is completely stressed out. Did you envision someone
seeming flustered? Frazzled? Maybe a bit short tempered? Maybe someone
shutting down?
These can certainly all be signs of stress! However, there are lots of other signs
that your mind and body are in a period of high stress that people sometimes
miss or do not attribute to being overly stressed. Some examples are:
• Neck/back pain (stress can cause a lot of tension in our neck and back
muscles)
Mental Health & Agriculture
• An increased heart rate (stress can cause our cardiovascular system to work
extra hard)
• An increase in exhaustion or fatigue (stress can wear our bodies down to a
point where we constantly feel tired)
If stress continues to go unnoticed, it can lead to more serious consequences,
like an increase in farm accidents. In order to help manage stress not only for
ourselves, but for our peers in agriculture, here are some important resources
you should be aware of that can help you out!
What Supports and Resources Are Out There?
Over the past couple of years, there has been a substantial push to increase the
amount of mental health and wellness resources for BC agriculture. There are
plenty of resources available in a wide variety of formats to try and reach as
many people as possible. These resources can range from community-based
supports, province-wide resources, and one-on-one mental health support. The
best part of this is that through the AgSafe Cares Foundation, these resources
are provided at zero cost to agricultural producers!
AgLife Connector Program
The AgLife Connector Program is a community-based skills/awareness
training for mental health and suicide prevention. The Connector Program is
adapted from the extremely successful and award-winning Guardian Network
(Ontario) and the Sentinel Program (Quebec). For those interested, you can
attend a free AgLife Connector training to learn skills to help identify and
support people within BC agriculture who may be struggling with their mental
health. Connectors are community members who care and want to help! Does
this sound like a training your workplace might benefit from? Or do you have
a group of like-minded friends/community members who want to become
Connectors? Email network@aglife.ca to book a completely free AgLife
Connector training. Learn more and sign up for a free Connector training at:
https://aglife.ca/join/ or email network@aglife.ca.
AgSafe Cares Foundation – Counselling Program
The AgSafe Cares Foundation has secured funding to support members
of the BC agricultural community by providing up to eight sessions with a
mental health professional at no cost. Anyone involved in BC agriculture can
access these free sessions by going to https://agsafebc.ca/mental-wellness/
counsellors/ and browsing our team of approved providers. The approved
mental health professionals are all experts who have either direct experience
working in agriculture or have taken professional education to support
agricultural workers with their mental health. Once you find a mental health
professional who seems like a fit, you can simply reach out and let them know
you are wanting to access the AgSafe Cares Foundation funded counselling
to start receiving your eight sessions. If you need help finding a mental health
professional, please contact network@aglife.ca.
Crisis/Support Lines
Many people hear the term “crisis” line and immediately assume you can only
use these resources if you are in a substantial crisis. This is a misconception
I want to clarify because you may find that crisis lines are a great resource
for you! Crisis lines provide anonymous, confidential support with navigating
challenging times as well as crisis moments.
An easy one to remember is 988 – this is Canada’s nation-wide text/phone-
in crisis line. Services are provided in English/French, and you can access this
resource 24/7. You simply call or text “988” to connect with a responder.
Some Additional Resources:
Do More Ag – a national voice for farmers’ mental wellness and resources.
They have AgTalk, a peer-to-peer support platform for agricultural producers
to support each other.
Stigma Free Society – a resource library including inspiring producer stories,
peer support fundamentals, and a rural mental health toolkit.
Farm Credit Canada – Rooted in Resiliency – this resource provides stories,
crisis information, and resources to support the mental wellness of those
working in Canadian agriculture.
BC Dairy wishes you Happy Holidays and all