Mental Health Assistance for Farmers and Agribusiness Leaders

The Agriculture Industry is tough. Taking care of crops, animals, and day-to-day business is hard on farmers and agribusiness professionals. Caring for your own health and wellness in this high-stress profession is often overlooked but is just as critical as caring for your business. 

We know times are increasingly tough right now.  If you are or someone you know is struggling with daily stress, depression, anxiety, addiction or other mental health challenges, you are not alone.  Some symptoms of unhealthy stress-levels include (1): 

• Physical symptoms - muscle aches, frequent headaches, shallow breathing, low energy, frequent upset stomach and fatigue 
• Behavioral symptoms - difficulty sleeping, irritability and easy to anger, inability to concentrate or focus, difficulty making decisions and increased use of alcohol/drugs 
• Emotional symptoms – feelings of anxiety, panic, frustration, impatience, restlessness, isolation, hopelessness and discouragement  
• Relationship symptoms – communication difficulties and maybe even conflict with family members and friends, strained interactions, avoidance of others and verbal or physical outbreaks 

Reach out and ask for help.  Your mental health and wellness are important. We are Stronger Together. 

• Your Primary Care Provider 
• Mental Health Professional 
• Walk-in Clinic 
• Urgent Care Center 
• Emergency Room 

• mentalhealthamerica.net/finding-help 
• findtreatment.samhsa.gov 
• https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/therapists/ 

• National Suicide Prevention Lifeline:  1-800-273-TALK (8255) 
• Crisis Text Line:  Text TALK to 741-741 
• Text with a trained counselor from the Crisis Text Line for free, 24/7 
• Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) National Helpline: 1-800-662-HELP (4357) 
• Farm Aid Farmer Hotline:  1-800-FARM-AID (1-800-327-6243) 
• Avera Farm and Rural Stress Hotline: 1-800-691-4336 
• National Alliance on Mental Illness Helpline:  1-800-950-6264 
• Illinois Warm Line:  1-866-359-7953 (call) or 1-866-880-4459 (text) 
• The Warm Line is a new opportunity in Illinois for persons with mental health challenges and their families to receive support by phone. Peer and Family Support Specialists are professionals who have experienced mental health recovery in their own lives as an individual or family member. They have been trained in recovery support, mentoring, and advocacy and are ready to listen and help you. The warm line is not a crisis hotline, but is a source of support as you recover or help a family member to recover. Call or text Monday-Friday 8am-5pm. 
• Veterans Crisis Line: 1-800-273-8255, Press 1  (website also has a chat option) 

• TransFARMation:  https://www.rrfn.com/transfarmation/ 
• University of Illinois #askACES: https://soundcloud.com/aces-illinois/ag-mental-health 
  

• American Farm Bureau Federation – Rural Resilience: https://www.fb.org/programs/rural-resilience/ 
• American Farm Bureau Federation – Farm Town Strong: https://farmtownstrong.org/ 
• National Farmers Union – Farm Crisis Center: https://farmcrisis.nfu.org/ 
• Rural Health Information (RHI) Hub – Rural Response to Farmer Mental Health and Suicide Prevention: https://www.ruralhealthinfo.org/topics/farmer-mental-health
• The American Institute for Stress:  http://www.stress.org/ 
• National Institute of Mental Health:  http://www.nimh.nih.gov/
  

• The Surprising Reality Of Depression And Suicide Among Farmers. Discussion of depression and suicide in farming community with special focus on the suicide of a Minnesota farmer and its affects on others. https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/the-surprising- reality-of-depression-and-suicide-in-the-farming- community_us_5b5a424ee4b0b15aba96eab7
• Green Blood Red Tears is a documentary about a Kentucky farmer who committed suicide. Ag-Culture Media, Middletown, Kentucky. https://www.amazon.com/Green-Blood-Red- Tears/dp/B000QCQ8CQ
• Fierce Goodbye: Living in the Shadow of Suicide. Mennonite Media.  https://www.amazon.com/Fierce-Goodbye-Living- Shadow-Suicide/dp/B00061UI3C
• Shadow Voices: Finding Hope in Mental Illness. Mennonite Media.  https://www.amazon.com/Shadow-Voices-Finding-Mental- Illness/dp/B002JAHXWM
  

• "Mental Health First Aid" www.youtube.com/watch?v=FYvSc3GCbpQ&t=3s National AgrAbility Project
• "Stress Management on the Farm"   www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=5&v=IsvRTsUyFes MidAtlantic Women in Agriculture.
• "Rural Behavioral Health Learning Collaborative - Understanding the Opioid Crisis & Community Strategies" www.youtube.com/watch?v=SbPCBygTq98  The TA Network and SAMHSA
  

• Anxiety and Depression - adaa.org
  

• Substance/Opioid Abuse - farmtownstrong.org

• Suicide Prevention - suicidepreventionlifeline.org
  

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^{FOOTNOTES: 1} According to a fact sheet published by North Dakota State University Extension Service.