每个农民都在挣扎

There are a lot of things in life that people should just know, right? For example, it blows my mind that some people think brown cows give chocolate milk. 也, how is it possible that anyone believes cows have more of an impact on the environment than the billions of cars, 火车, 卡车, and airplanes in the world. To me, those things feel like common sense. Just like it seems like common sense that you should know when you’re feeling depressed, right? Who would know better than you? From personal experience, I can tell you that it’s harder than you think. 每个人都有倒霉的时候. Having a bad day does not mean you’re depressed but having a lot of bad days can lead to more than just feeling bad.

The agricultural community is living in unprecedented times. We can no longer afford to live in our own little bubble and not worry about the eyes of the world around us. We have to be environmentalists, 市场营销人员, and public relations specialists on top of the title farmer. We must be able to explain and defend what we do to consumers, 组织, and politicians in a way that they can understand and, 希望, 支持. Tack all of that onto an already near impossible job and another topic comes to light: mental health. If you’re not sure what mental health is, basically, it’s how you feel. 不幸的是, the phrase mental health has become so stigmatized that most people refuse to talk about it. 是时候结束这一切了.

An important thing to remember is that mental health is not mental illness. We’re so afraid of others judging us or proclaiming us ‘crazy’ that we won’t even acknowledge when we’re struggling mentally. But guys, we all struggle mentally. 我们每一个人. How we cope with those struggles is where we differ. Our mental health isn’t that different from our physical health. 如果你吃得好, 锻炼, 保证充足的睡眠, most people can keep their physical health in check and avoid getting sick. Well, apply the same idea to your mental health. Keeping your mental health in check could help you avoid becoming depressed, 焦虑, 甚至是自杀.

How you keep your mental health in check looks different for everyone. For example, I know that I need to do a major check in with myself when I don’t notice the silence. Music is a big part of my life; I listen to it constantly. When I go through an entire milking without connecting to my Bluetooth speaker, I’m not ok. Realizing and admitting that is a big step in working through it. Working through your struggles also looks different for everyone. 这是我能给的最好的建议, as a non-professional who has and does struggle with her own mental health, 是把它弄出来. 大声说出来. Find a friend, family member, notebook, or your empty car and 把它拿出来. Even if you know the person listening can’t help you or that no one will ever read what you write, 把它拿出来. 视频日志. I find a quiet place and video myself talking about it. 在某种程度上, seeing and hearing myself say what I’m feeling out loud can genuinely help me work through what’s bothering me.

寻求帮助很难. But not everyone can work through their feelings alone. Not everyone can make it through the darkness without medication. And, unfortunately, not everyone is strong enough to admit that. We tend to think that asking for help makes us weak. We think that admitting that we’re struggling with day-to-day life means we’re failing. 我们必须阻止这种情况. 生活是艰难的. We’re all struggling in our own way with our own problems. Just because it looks like your neighbor is struggling with bigger issues, doesn’t mean your struggles aren’t valid. Knowing you have a problem and admitting that you can’t face it alone is one of the bravest things you can do. 打那个电话. 帮你打那个电话. 你值得拥有. 我是.

Written by:杰斯·彼得斯

杰西卡·彼得斯是5分^th generation dairy farmer from Pennsylvania where she owns and operates Spruce Row Farm with her parents and brother.

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