The Importance of your Mental Health
Published in the March/April edition of The Australian Dairyfarmer magazine
Dairy farming can be a challenging business, with mounting business and seasonal pressures, focusing on how you are travelling as person and the state of your mental health can at times be neglected.
I understand this all to well, this was me, focusing on the day to day operation of my farm, I overlooked the steady decline in my mental health until it was nearly too late.
The harsh reality of being a dairy farmer become all too evident to me with the constant battle of economic pressures, commodity prices, water issues, flood and drought all had an impact on my young family, relationships and finances, but most significantly that on my mental health, all culminating with a decision to leave our farm.
Generally, people living in rural communities are known for being resilient people, they face stressors caused by a range of factors such as isolation, weather, nature of their work and financial issues which is why mental illness in rural communities is of major concern.
While the stigma associated with mental health problems is slowly reducing in Australia, in rural communities the stigma of “too tough to speak up” about your emotional and mental health is rife and the suicide rates are consistently 40 percent higher than the rates in metropolitan areas.
Mental illness is made harder in rural communities with reduced access to local services, and professionals. Additionally, people generally have feelings of embarrassment or fear to ask for help so they manage their problems by themselves.
However, recognizing when help and support is needed, either for yourself or for someone else, is very important.
I learnt four vital lessons from my journey:
Identify your support network, the people who you love and trust and can call on for support when you are struggling to cope or simply need a chat.
Communication is key, communicating how you are feeling is hard and at times hardest with those who are closest to you. Having vital conversations can save lives.
Stay connected, staying connected to your community and support network helps negate the feeling of isolation especially when you are struggling. It also promotes conversation and give you the opportunity to share and gain wisdom from those around you.
Seek help, not always the easiest of steps, recognizing the seriousness of a mental health challenge and the importance of gaining the right support can influence the rate of your recovery.
To normalize the conversation about mental health it needs a whole community approach to nurture a safe environment that removes the stigma making it more acceptable for people to seek help. This starts with awareness and education, followed by acknowledgement and action.
Your mental health is critical to your overall health and wellbeing. You need good mental health to help you get through life’s challenges, to have healthy relationships with others and to enjoy life. It’s important to remember that when everything gets too much for you and you become overwhelmed that there are people, services, and resources that are there to help you, just reach out, it could make a huge difference in your life.
No one should travel their journey alone.
Emergency on 000
Virtual Psychologist on 1300 665 234 or 0488 807 266
Lifeline on 13 11 14
Headspace on 1800 650 890
Warren Davies
