Virginia
Molgaard, and Laura
Miller
Iowa State University Extension
Farming
is one of the 10 most stressful occupations, according to
a recent study, yet most farmers say they wouldn't trade it
for any other job. The love of farming, in spite of all the
hassles, indicates farmers must be doing something right to
manage their stress.
However,
stress that goes unrecognized and is not dealt with can play
havoc with the farm family and the farm operation. When stress
levels get too high, farmers are more likely to make poor
farming decisions and be involved in farm accidents. Relationships
between spouses and between parents and children also suffer
during stressful times, as can health.
This
publication will help you recognize things many farmers consider
stressful, common symptoms of stress, and effective ways to
manage stress. "Stressor" refers to the things that may cause
stress; "stress" is the reaction you may have to that stressor.
Farming
has many ongoing situations that can cause stress, such as
large debt loads, the presence of government regulations,
high interest rates, and lack of control over the weather.
Farmers also face daily hassles including machinery breakdowns,
long work hours, weather delays, livestock problems, unexpected
interruptions, crop yield uncertainty, and disagreements with
other family members in the operation.
No event
or situation by itself is stressful. However, some kinds of
events are likely to add more stress than other kinds of events.
Negative
events are most likely to produce stress. Not too surprisingly,
situations considered undesirable, such as bad weather or
trouble with livestock, are more likely to cause stress than
situations viewed as desirable.
Uncontrollable
or unpredictable events are stressful. Many situations
in farming are beyond human control, such as the weather,
prices, government policies and operating costs.
Ambiguous
events are often stressful. Stress is more likely to occur
when it isn't clear what the problem is or how you can cope
with it. For example, how do you know when to sell commodities?
Long
lasting problems are more dangerous than short-term ones.
Most families can get by for a while with a difficult situation.
When the stress continues to build over months and years,
it's harder to handle.
People
experience stress in different ways. Some people react to
stressful situations physically, others have emotional responses,
and some respond with changes in behavior or relationships.
Most people react to stress in more than one way at the same
time. High levels of stress can affect several areas of people's
lives.
Stress
can show itself in physical symptoms, such as headaches or
stomach problems, or in emotional symptoms, such as angry
outbursts or depression. Behavior changes, like increased
smoking or drinking, also can be a reaction to stress. In
most people, stress affects their relationships with others,
such as having difficulty getting along because of irritability
or feelings of sadness.
Even
under similar circumstances, farm operators vary in the amount
of stress they experience. Some people may have many negative
stressors, but experience low levels of stress because they
have developed effective ways to cope. For other farm men
and women, however, pressures may exceed their coping resources
and they may show signs of chronic stress.
Studies
show these differences in the way various groups tend to experience
stress:
- Younger
farmers, especially those younger than 50, report more stress
than older farmers.
- Farmers
in dairy or mixed (grain and livestock) operations report
higher stress levels than farmers in grain operations.
- Farmers
employed in off-farm jobs report more stress than full-time
farm operators.
- Farm
women may experience additional stressors. Besides working
as a full partner in the farm business, many farm women
have full responsibility for home and family matters. A
farm woman with an off-farm job faces very difficult demands
in addition to being the traditional nurturer for the rest
of the family.
- First,
recognize your symptoms of stress and decide to do something
about them.
- Watch
what you eat. Just as machinery needs top quality fuel,
your body needs nutritious food. Breakfast is an important
meal for farm operators. Breaks for mid-morning and mid-afternoon
snacks are helpful, especially during field-work.
- Take
time to talk, especially to your family. Let them know if
you are feeling pressured or stressed. Find a friend who
can listen to your problems.
- Do
something relaxing every day. During busy times you may
be able to relax for only a few minutes. During less hurried
times, take at least a half-hour every day to do something
for yourself.
- Do
some form of aerobic exercise at least three times a week.
Even though farmers get a lot of exercise, vigorous exercise
is needed to get the heart pumping. It also will help lower
your stress level.
Making
these changes may seem difficult at first, but the investment
of time and energy can really pay off in feeling better and
having a more productive farming operation.
Take
this quiz to find out how stress may affect your life. For
each statement, consider whether you feel that way: Rarely,
sometimes, or often.
__ 1.
I feel tense or anxious.
__ 2.
People or animals make me feel irritable.
__ 3.
I drink, smoke, or take drugs to relax.
__ 4.
I have tension headaches or pain in the neck or shoulders.
__ 5.
I have trouble going to sleep or staying asleep.
__ 6.
I find it difficult to concentrate on what I'm doing.
__ 7.
I have a difficult time finding time or being able to relax.
__ 8.
I feel sad or depressed for no good reason.
__ 9.
I feel tired even after I rest or sleep.
__ 10.
I argue with family or co-workers.
__ 11.
I give others the "silent treatment" when I'm upset.
[Stress
test: Give yourself 0 points for every "a" answer,
1 point for every "b" answer and 2 points for every
"c" answer.
Scoring:
0 - 5 points: You probably are handling stress well; 6
- 11 points: You could benefit from some stress reduction
techniques; 12 points or more: Your stress is causing
significant difficulties. It may be time to develop
new strategies to cope with job and family pressures.]
- Recognize
your symptoms of stress.
- Eat
nutritious foods daily.
- Talk
with family and friends.
- Take
time to relax every day.
- Do
aerobic exercise three times a week.
This
publication covers only some aspects of stress management
for farmers. Check your local Extension office for other publications
on stress, or the Stress on the Farm home study series, Pm-1172a-f.
The following resources also were used for preparation of
this publication:
- Farmer,
Val. (1985) Making the Good Life Better: Dr. Val Farmer's
Guide to Rural Living. Greendale, Wisconsin: Reiman Publications.
- Walker,
James and Lily Walker. (1987) The Human Harvest: Changing
Farm Stress to Family Success. Winnepeg, Manitoba, Canada:
University of Manitoba.
Disclaimer
and Reproduction Information: Information in NASD does not
represent NIOSH policy. Information included in NASD appears
by permission of the author and/or copyright holder. More
NASD Review: 04/2002
Prepared by Virginia
Molgaard, extension family life specialist; and Laura
Miller, extension communications
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