MARCH 2018 GERMINATION.CA 9 “They may be coached to pay attention to their breathing. Are they sleeping? What are they doing to take care of their basic needs? Eating healthy, exercising, reducing alcohol and caffeine intake, having more contact with people who love and support them and not isolating themselves — all those things are very helpful in helping combat depression and anxiety.” Rosmann emphasizes that giving people coping strategies they can use at home is key to ensuring long-term success when dealing with mental health concerns. He says the tele- phone hotline operated by Smith and her team is a perfect example of how farmers and others in agriculture can be empowered to take their mental wellbeing into their own hands. “The idea is to provide education to farm and ranch people about how we can manage ourselves, because if we are well adjusted and manage our anxiety and depression, we can function optimally as farmers,” Rosmann says. Smith notes the hotline’s counsellors, who are farmers as well as professional counsel- lors, have in-depth knowledge of the unique challenges faced by farmers. They will help the caller determine whether they need to seek additional professional help, be it a visit to their doctor or to a licensed therapist. “When people do reach out to us for help, they will experience someone who’s there to listen without judgement about whatever the issue is,” Smith says, and adds that picking up the phone can be the first step to recovering from mental health challenges. People can also call the hotline on behalf of a loved one who may not be willing or able to call themselves. “Stress can change your behaviour. You might be drinking more, behaving recklessly, having anger issues. It can affect your rela- tionships with your family and community. It’s hard, but it’s crucial to break through that stigma and address some of the underlying stress levels before it reaches that point where a person’s sense of hopelessness overtakes them, and they no longer have a desire to live.” Reducing Stigma Rosmann is attempting to fight that stigma by eliminating the word “mental” from the discus- sion. He prefers the word “behavioural” when talking about psychological struggles. “The word ‘mental’ carries a stigma with it. The word ‘behavioural’ does not. It’s control- ling how we behave that puts us in charge of managing our feelings. The term behaviour is not only more understandable, but we gener- ally don’t shy away from it like we do with the word ‘mental’.” Best of all, talking about “behavioural health” as opposed to “mental health” helps people realize that taking charge of their struggle with depression and anxiety is within their own grasp, and not just the purview of doctors. “Anyone can help us change our behaviour for the better. It can be an agronomist, our friends, our family, anybody. They may not be a licensed professional, but they can help us change for the better.” Keller says the recent launch of the Do More Agriculture Foundation is only the beginning of a conversation that will go on for years within the ag community. While she says things are improving with regard to breaking down the stigma associated with mental illness in agriculture, there’s a long way to go to help farmers get the help they need if struggling. “We’re working to create an environment where we want every producer to feel encouraged to take care of their emotional well- being,” Keller adds. HOWTOHELPORGETHELP Several resources are available in the agriculture community for those struggling emotionally or who want to help in raising awareness of mental health in agriculture. Manitoba Farm, Rural & Northern Support Services (MFRNSS) provides telephone (866-367-3276) and online (RuralSupport.ca) counselling to Manitoba-based farmers, rural and northern Manitobans. It also offers public education, a volunteer training program, and a monthly Suicide Bereavement Support group. A similar service — known as the Farm Stress Line — helps farmers based in Saskatchewan (mobilecrisis.ca/farm-stress-line-rural-sask). For a list of similar resources operating in other provinces, visit the National Farmers’ Union website at nfu.ca/about/farm-emergency-resources-and-support. The Do More Agriculture Foundation focuses on creating awareness about mental health in ag and breaking the stigma that currently exists while building a community of support and resources for those impacted and affected. It helps all producers realize they are not alone and they have an entire industry behind them. All funds go towards educating the ag industry on mental health and providing access to resources when needed. For info on how to take part, visit DoMore.ag. #SickNotWeak is a not-for-profit organization started by Canadian sports journalist Michael Landsberg of TSN fame. It serves to raise awareness of and break the stigma surrounding mental illness. Check out SickNotWeak.com for info. “THEIDEAISTOPROVIDEEDUCATIONTOFARM ANDRANCHPEOPLEABOUTHOWWECANMANAGE OURSELVES,BECAUSEIFWEAREWELLADJUSTED ANDMANAGEOURANXIETYANDDEPRESSION,WE CANFUNCTIONOPTIMALLYASFARMERS.” –MichaelRosmann