Mental Health Matters, Especially During Harvest

Blog post by Kaitlin Donovan, Communications Manager

Meredith Ernzen is a licensed clinical marriage and family therapist dedicated to making sure rural Kansans know that they matter. Ernzen grew up on her family’s farm and ranch in Washington County and her husband grew up on his family’s dairy farm. The couple now lives in Cheyenne County where her husband works for a feed mill and they manage their own cow herd. She operates a mental health practice in Bird City called, Ernzen Counseling and Wellness, LLC. Her knowledge of production agriculture helps her serve rural northwest Kansas.

“I think a lot of people think you just have to pull up your boot straps and move forward,” says Ernzen, “but there’s so much in our face, even being out in a field. We need more awareness, of not just our physical symptoms but emotional too. I think sometimes we get so busy that we don’t stop and think, am I really struggling?”

Stress takes a toll on the entire body. Ernzen calls it the whole body connection. If you’re not sleeping well or having stomach issues it could likely be driven by the stress hormone cortisol. She says when you’re not producing the good stuff, serotonin, naturally in your body it’s not keeping the cortisol levels in check. When farmers are overstressed during times like harvest, planting or drought their bodies may not be releasing enough serotonin.

We all have bad days, so how do you know if your mental health is taking a hit? Ernzen says there are mental signs you can watch for as well. Things like lack of motivation to do the things you previously enjoyed, feelings of hopelessness or not being able to find things you’re grateful for are signs that you need to talk to someone. She says if you love your cattle and used to enjoy getting up to check them or tend to them and then suddenly you lose interest, that’s a warning sign. Feeling stuck in a funk or feeling like you’re just stuck in the negative is also a warning sign.

“You matter,” says Ernzen. “I think so many of us just think we’re just another number in the world. But you matter to someone.”

That’s the one thing Ernzen wanted to make sure every farmer knew from our interview. She has learned that mental health professionals are hard to find in rural Kansas. So she’s passed on the following tips for coping with stress during those peak times on the farm, such as harvest. And if you need help, talk to someone. Kansas Corn has helped to compile a list of Ag Aware mental health providers. If you need assistance finding a mental health professional check out the list of Ag Aware providers on the Kansas Department of Ag’s website kansasagstress.org under the “Services” tab.

Tips for Managing Stress During Harvest

  1. Keep it simple with some planning ahead
    • Meals, cleaning, daily routine
  2. Modify expectations of self and others
  3. Get creative with how you spend time with your support system
    • Field meals, combine rides, date nights in the tractor, delegate childcare responsibilities to friends, grandparents
  4. Create a (short) morning ritual
    • Devotional, go for a walk, meditation, breakfast with spouse/family/friend
  5. Create a weekly schedule that is flexible to use as a guide (to accommodate parts runs, unexpected weather changes, illness)
  6. Make time to connect with one another daily—family or friends—through FaceTime, Marco Polo, notes in lunch boxes, short phone calls, texts
  7. Breathe!
  8. Implement one tool that uplifts your mood daily
    • Music, podcast, etc.
  9. Set a sleep goal and stick to it.