Harvest brings demands that extend beyond getting crops out of the field, and a Sioux Center Health provider is encouraging farm families to pay attention to the mental strain that can accompany the season.
Speaking on Sioux County Radio’s HealthCare Happenings, Jeanne Kleinhesselink, a psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner at Sioux Center Health, discussed the pressures farmers face, changes loved ones can watch for, and the importance of personal connections.
Kleinhesselink says harvest stress can include diesel costs, machinery needs, and balancing long workdays with family time. Farmers also face uncertainty about the weather and what they will earn for their work.
“One of my husband’s magazines brought up the fact that most people would not work for six months without knowing what their paycheck was going to be when they get done,” Kleinhesselink said.
She says that uncertainty can follow farmers throughout the growing season, with the financial outcome becoming clear only after much of the work is finished.
Recognizing When Someone Is Struggling
Kleinhesselink says the determination to work harder and handle problems independently can also leave farmers feeling they must carry their burdens alone.
“And that doesn’t always work because then you’re causing a lot more stress because you are assuming that you’re going to do it by yourself,” she said. “And that can cause alienation, that can cause you to withdraw from social interactions, it can cause you to have a lot more stress and feel as though you’re very alone.”
She encourages relatives, friends, and neighbors to notice changes from a person’s usual habits. For example, a farmstead that has consistently been well maintained but begins falling into disrepair could provide a reason to check in.
Kleinhesselink also says increased alcohol use or drug use may indicate someone is struggling to cope with feelings or stress.
Those changes can open the door to a caring conversation. She encourages people to approach others without judgment, ask how they are doing, and listen.
Making Time for Personal Connections
Kleinhesselink says checking in should involve more than sending a text or interacting through social media. Sharing coffee, visiting a neighbor, or spending time together can provide a better sense of how someone is doing.
“You can get such a better idea of how things are really going,” she said. “In a text, people just text you back and you don’t get any context to it.”
During the interview, she identified several sources of support, including Farm Bureau mental health resources, Avera’s farm crisis line, and Your Life Iowa. She also pointed to 988 as an option for people experiencing a mental health crisis.
“And it doesn’t mean that you have to be suicidal to call that number, but you will get a real person to talk to you,” Kleinhesselink said.
Locally, Kleinhesselink says Sioux Center Health’s behavioral health program includes three psychiatric nurse practitioners and five therapists.
People with questions or those interested in making an appointment can reach the behavioral health department directly at 712-722-8222.
HealthCare Happenings airs Wednesday mornings during the 10 o’clock hour of the Midday Show on 93.9 KSOU.
