Tag: dealing with stress

Crops, Irrigation, Livestock

Stress is a Part of Life

Brandy VanDeWalle

First of all, I’d like to give a shout-out to the many volunteers who helped contribute to a successful county fair!  Without great volunteers so freely giving their time and talents to the youth in the 4-H program, 4-H would not be the success it is! I would like to personally thank all of the extension staff, fair board members, 4-H Council members, superintendents, and other volunteers for their dedication to the 4-H program. Fair can be a stressful time; however, when we don’t lose sight of its purpose can create long-lasting and positive memories.

woman working girl sitting
Photo by Alexander Dummer on Pexels.com

Speaking of stress, this week I’ve captured a few stress relieving tips to consider as summer comes to an end and youth will be in school. Stress is a part of life; we can’t live without it, but sometimes we feel that we can’t live with it!

Stress comes from many sources: a family crisis such as death, divorce or long separation; It might be from overloaded schedules; maybe expectations that cannot be met or unexpected circumstances; A loss of job, health, home or friendship; it can even come from a happy event as marriage, the birth of a child, or moving into a new home. Regardless of the cause, the following are three ways you can manage your stress: alter it, avoid it, or accept it.

Alter your life by removing the source of stress. Some stressors can be relieved by better planning or organization in your life. Simple things like having emergency supplies on hand, not shopping at the busiest times of the week, or organizing your work space can each be stress relievers. If morning schedules are tight, lay out children’s clothes or set the table for breakfast the night before.

Avoiding stress is another management strategy. Learn to say no, when an addition to your schedule will only add to your stress. If you are stressed by long waits, plan something to do (like reading a book) while you wait for an appointment. If there is too much tension in your home or office, go for a walk to clear your mind and relieve the tension.

man in blue and brown plaid dress shirt touching his hair
Photo by Nathan Cowley on Pexels.com

Find a way to accept the stressors that we have no control over. Talking to a trusted friend will help you put things in perspective. Keeping in good health by eating well, getting enough sleep and keeping a routine are essential. Look for the good. Even in the worst of circumstances, there are things that can bring a smile to your face, reasons to be thankful, and opportunities to help others.

Source: How to Manage Daily Stress@ by Dr. Herbert G. Lingren, Extension Family Scientist, NF98-388.

Resources for Nebraska Farmers, Ranchers, and Their Families
We hope you reach out if you are feeling stressed.

  • Rural Response Hotline: The hotline offers access to many attorneys, financial advisors, professional counselors, mediators, clergy, and others. There are 167 behavioral health professionals working with the Rural Response Hotline.  Ask about no-cost vouchers for counseling services. 800-464-0258
  • National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: A national network of local crisis centers that provides free and confidential emotional support to people in suicidal crisis or emotional distress 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. 800-273-8255.
    – Crisis Text Line: Free, 24/7 support for those in crisis, connecting people in
    crisis to trained Crisis Counselors. Text GO to 741741
  • Veterans Crisis Line: Connect with this resource to reach caring, qualified responders within the Department of Veterans Affairs. Many of them are Veterans themselves. 800-273-8255, Press 1 or Text to 838255
  • Negotiations Program: Mediation services for agricultural borrowers, creditors, and USDA program participants. Free one-on-one education on agricultural financial and legal matters. 402-471-4876
  • The Boys Town National Hotline: Not just for boys. For all teens and their parents, this hotline is available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, with specially trained counselors. A TDD line is available (1-800-448-1833), allowing counselors to communicate with speech-impaired and deaf callers. 800-448-3000
  • SAMHSA National Helpline: Free, confidential, 24/7, 365-day-a-year treatment referral in English and Spanish for individuals and families experiencing issues with alcohol, prescription drug, or other substance abuse. 800-662-HELP (4357)

YOU ARE NOT ALONE.
We care about you!

Crops, Horticulture, Irrigation, Livestock, Programming

Wellness in Tough Times webinar

Brandy VanDeWalle

Farmers and ranchers have many stressors in their lives.  Weather challenges and disasters like many Nebraskans have recently experienced have led to uncertainty in their crop and livestock operations. Machinery breakdowns, debt loads, volatile markets, sleep deprivation, changing regulations, and the stress of holding onto a multi-generational farm/ranch all play a part of the stress and mental health of a farmer or rancher. Farmers and ranchers know the importance of planning and talking about their financial health to bankers, financial planners, spouses, etc. but might not realize how important it is to spend time on their mental health.

A free webinar will be offered April 23 via the web for farm and ranch families.  The webinar will take place at noon (CST) and can be accessed at go.unl.edu/farmstresswebinar.WellnessToughTime.png  Wellness in Tough Times will be presented by my colleague, Nebraska Extension Educator Glennis McClure and myself from 12:00 – 1:00 p.m. (CST). This free webinar is available for farm and ranch families to participate and will provide strategies for dealing with the stress of farming or ranching in today’s difficult economic environment.

Participants will learn: How to recognize the signs and symptoms of stress; understand the role stress plays in our lives; and strategies and resources to manage stress.

For more information, contact me at brandy.vandewalle@unl.edu or (402)759-3712. Dates and locations for a separate workshop available to agribusiness professionals and service providers working with farmers and ranchers will be released soon:  Communicating with Farmers Under Stress. For more information on this workshop contact Susan Harris-Broomfield susan.harris@unl.edu

 

Crops, Irrigation, Livestock, Uncategorized

Mental Health is Just as Important as Financial Health

Brandy VanDeWalle

Picture this. Someone is showing physical signs of stress – maybe it’s a heart attack or even a broken leg.  Who might arrive to the scene first?  It probably will be an EMT or other first responder. Their role is to keep the person alive or comfortable until that person reaches the hospital where doctors and other medical professionals will treat that patient. What happens if a person is showing signs of mental distress or even suicidal signs? There are classes available called, “Mental Health First Aid” which provides people the opportunity to properly help others receive professional help he/she might need. Things as simple as listening to the person non-judgmentally and encouraging them to seek professional help might just save that person’s life. Calling the suicide hotline with the person can also help that person realize that they can get through the crisis in their life.

board game business challenge chess
Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com

Farmers and ranchers have many stressors in their life. Weather challenges and disasters like many Nebraskans have recently experienced have led to uncertainty in their crop and livestock operations. Machinery breakdowns, debt loads, volatile markets, long days with sleep deprivation, government regulations, and the stress of holding onto a multi-generational farm/ranch all play a part of the stress and mental health of a farmer or rancher. Farmers and ranchers know the importance of  planning and talking about their financial health to bankers, financial planners, spouses, etc. but might not realize how important it is to spend time on their mental health.

A North Dakota State University Extension publication reminds farmers that “just as farms need to be operated in a sustainable way that preserves resources for the long term, an individual’s life needs to be managed in a sustainable way for long-term well-being. Feeling overly tired, overwhelmed by stresses or under constant pressure is not a recipe for a sustainable lifestyle.” There are physical, mental, emotional/spiritual, personal/relational, work/professional and financial/practical strategies for coping with stress. For example, get at least 7-8 hours of restful sleep is one physical way to take care of yourself. Take 10 minutes and reflect on blessings in your life in as a mental strategy to dealing with stress. Emotional or spiritual coping strategies are to pray, do random acts of kindness and something as simple as eating a meal with a friend of loved one. A personal or relational coping strategy is to plan a small getaway with a family member or spend time playing games with family or friends. For a work strategy, talk to other farmers about their strategies or plan your next day at the end of a work day and set priorities ahead of time. Finally, financial/practical coping strategies are to schedule time to organize your records or finances monthly and create a family budget and live within your means.Assess for risk of suicide or harm. Listen non-judgmentally. Give re-assurance and information. Encourage appropriate professional help. Encourage self-help and other support strategies.

At the Mental Health First Aid workshop, an action plan to help others with potential mental health problems is referred to as “ALGEE.” The action plan is as follows:

  • Assess for risk of suicide or harm.
  • Listen non-judgmentally.
  • Give re-assurance and information.
  • Encourage appropriate professional help.
  • Encourage self-help and other support strategies.

If you or someone you know needs help, there are several resources. The Nebraska Family Helpline can be reached at 1-888-866-8660, the Nebraska Rural Response Hotline at 1-800-464-0258 or the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255).

Disaster Resources

Nebraska Extension is pushing out information to help.  Please use or share the website https://flood.unl.edu  It’s a key resource full of science-based information

Knowing the legal rights, benefits and resources available to low-income survivors of a disaster is crucial to recovery. Legal Aid of Nebraska can help. Apply online at disaster.legalaidofnebraska.org/apply, or call the Disaster Relief Hotline at 1-844-268-5627.