Why Are We Talking About Mental Health All the Time Now?

By Jessica Cabrera

Isn’t it interesting how things change over time? And how do certain topics become mainstream?

We used to play outside from morning to night, day after day, without a second thought, and now up to 60 million people in the US are affected by seasonal allergies and struggle to participate in normal daily outdoor activities. My son is allergic to grass! How did that happen?

We used to eat peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and peanut butter cookies without thinking, but now I ask the person sitting next to me on a plane if it’s okay for me to eat peanut M&Ms (my guilty pleasure of traveling!) because I don’t want to do it accidentally. instigate a fit of anaphylaxis while flying above 30,000 feet.

And anyone over the age of 40 can attest that “screen time” wasn’t a thing when we were kids. Now, handheld electronic devices offer access to our main source of information: the Internet. I admit, I’d be in serious trouble if I didn’t have GPS (don’t judge me!). How did technology become so ubiquitous so quickly?

No farmer should feel like they have to handle the problems of this world alone. We are stronger together.

What about mental health? No one was talking about mental health wellness when I was a kid. I can remember one of my dad’s best friends dying by suicide when I was little, and even after that he didn’t talk about it. It was taboo and I don’t think the people around me even knew how to articulate the subject. But now the topic of mental health is discussed in the workplace, in schools, among friends, and in the media. Why the change?

Believe it or not, May was established as Mental Health Month in 1949 to raise awareness of the importance of mental health and wellness in American lives. It is not a new idea that mental health is essential to a person’s overall health, so this topic is not new to the scene. But why has the topic become so popular?

People are dying.

Sorry to be so direct, but that’s what it boils down to. We are losing our friends, family, neighbors, coworkers, classmates, and teammates to suicide, and we want it to stop. Does not discriminate. It can affect anyone, and most of the time it’s dealing damage in the shadows.

This is especially true in the farming community. The suicide rate among farmers and ranchers during the agricultural crisis of the 1980s increased dramatically, drawing attention to this issue among farming communities. Fast-forward nearly 40 years and reports indicate that farmers are dying by suicide at a rate two to five times higher than the national average. This is a mind-numbing comparison, and it deserves attention!

I think mental health is being talked about so much now because we’ve learned that giving voice to this topic saves lives. Too many people are struggling and too many have lost their lives. As the years go by, more and more of us have a personal connection with someone who has committed suicide and we are tired of it. We have to do something!

The American Farm Bureau Farm State of Mind Campaign it’s our way of letting farmers and ranchers know that it’s okay to not be okay, that you’re not alone, and that there are resources to help. This is how we work to equip family, friends, neighbors and those who work in the agriculture industry with the information and training they need to recognize the warning signs and boldly start a conversation. Through this campaign, farmers and ranchers can tell their stories of struggle, victory and defense. No farmer should feel that he has to handle the problems of this world alone. We are stronger together.

Our most recent research survey results indicate that farmers and people in rural areas are more comfortable talking about stress and mental health issues with others than they were in 2019. In an industry that prides itself on standing up for itself and never letting anyone know that is suffering, this is a sign of progress. The stressors have not subsided and the challenges remain, but it is time for farmers and ranchers to know that it is okay to not be okay and that getting help is not a sign of weakness, but a sign of strength.

So, let’s keep talking about it! Accept the change. It’s making a difference. Little by little, this will save lives.

Jessica Cabrera is general director of member engagement at the American Farm Bureau Federation and is the program leader for the farm state of mind campaign.