Know the Person. Notice the Change. Know How to Help.

Growing up on a grain and cattle farm near Biggar, Saskatchewan taught me resilience, drive, and the value of hard work.

It also taught me that farming is unpredictable. You can work incredibly hard and still face circumstances completely outside of your control. Weather, livestock health, crop conditions, equipment breakdowns, input costs, and markets do not care how many hours you worked that day.

That unpredictability can take a toll. According to the University of Guelph’s National Survey of Farmer Mental Health in Canada, 76% of farmers reported experiencing moderate or high perceived stress.

Farmers are also often very good at continuing to work when things are difficult. That makes it especially important that we learn to notice when someone we know does not seem like themselves.

Know the Person

One of the most important things I have learned through studying personality, stress, and behaviour is to watch for change.

Someone who is normally outgoing and talkative may become unusually quiet and withdrawn. Someone who typically processes things internally may suddenly have an uncharacteristic outburst. You might notice increased irritability, unusual cynicism, changes in body language, isolation, or statements that suggest hopelessness.

The important word is change.

You know your family. You know your neighbours. You know the person farming down the road.

When someone does not seem like themselves, pay attention.

This is also why connection matters before someone reaches a crisis. Get to know people when things are going well. What does stress normally look like for them? What helps? What makes it worse? How do they prefer to be supported?

Ask, Do Not Assume

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