supporting farmers during challenging times · on all family members. • obvious impacts –...

Supporting Farmers During Challenging Times

John Shutske, ProfessorExtension SpecialistAgricultural Health & Safety for Farm Families

Objectives

1. Brain science & acute stress

2. Acute Stress Chronic Stress

3. Chronic stress outcomes4. Stress coping

mechanisms facilitated by agricultural professionals and service providers

http://kids.nationalgeographic.com/explore/science/your-amazing-brain/#brain.jpg

A reflection…• Engage farmers, ag service providers

and helping professionals.• Explain physical, neurochemical

processes and how we might harness that info in our helping role.

• Turn down the fountain…

Creative Commons photo: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/User:Rept0n1x

• Physical• Brain and

endocrine mechanisms

• Neuro-bio and chemical

• Where are the levers?

Let’s Take 10 awkward seconds…

One Thing That’s Stressed You Out in the Last Few Weeks?

Original artwork from Jessica Malisch and Theodore Garland - Wikipedia

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Cortisol (plus Adrenaline)

• Fight• Flight• Freeze

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fight-or-flight_response - Image Creative Commons

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Biochemical Response• Heart Rate

• Blood pressure

• Red blood cell count

• Blood sugar

• Pupils dilate

• Digestive system

• Reproductive system

• Fear center stimulated

• Fear/emotional memories cemented

• Higher level thinking becomes difficult**

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Is the HPA Axis Response Good or Bad?

Good? Bad? Or, it depends?

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We need stress…The gazelle needs stress

Stress helps us as children to get from third to fourth grade

Stress in marriage, children, jobs, growing older (and being young)

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Case Study

CaseHow and where are you seeing

stress manifesting itself?As a farmer, lender, consultant,

trusted adviser, etc. where are some points where you (or those with whom you work) might be able to make a difference?

Case Study• In our case study – You see stress impacts

on ALL family members.• Obvious impacts – health, injury, anxiety,

depression.• But, there are also quiet impacts – on the

elderly patriarch of the family, on Jan, and on Jessica who works off the farm and is expecting twins late this winter.

Shift Gears a bit…

In the case, you also see the impacts of LONG TERM, chronic

stress

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• Point number 1

Photo credit – slide is adapted from original by http://www.enricobanchi.com/

Prefrontal Cortex

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Original work from Jessica Malisch and Theodore Garland - Wikipeda

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Lupien S.J., McEwen B.S., Gunnar M.R. & Heim C. (2009). Effects of stress throughout the lifespan on the brain, behavior, and cognition. Nature Reviews Neuroscience 10(6):434-45.

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Note: GR areas are “glucocorticoid” receptors

Cortisol is a glucocorticoid

These receptors lock in on cortisol and turn the furnace down

Impacts – Chronic Stress• Chronic stress as a vicious cycle

https://pixabay.com/en/rain-man-person-human-male-face-785245/ - labeled as public domain

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Seven Impacts – Chronic Stress

• Chronic stress as a vicious cycle• Physical health effects

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Patrick J. Lynch, medical illustrator, Creative Commons Attribution 2.5 License 2006

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https://pixabay.com/en/immune-system-defense-infection-1359197/ - public domain

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https://pixabay.com/en/diabetes-blood-sugar-diabetic-528678/ - labeled as public domain

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• Chronic stress as a vicious cycle• Physical health effects• Impact on Decision Making, Distraction, and

Memory• Fear and anxiety

Deal with these two bullets together with little “quiz”

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Cortisol….A. Inhibits function of the PFC?B. Causes amygdala tissue to grow

stronger?C. Shrinks size and reduces

connections in hippocampus?D. All of the above

• Point number 1

http://www.nature.com/neuro/journal/v15/n5/fig_tab/nn.3093_F1.html

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Memory• Fear and anxiety• Learning, Adaptation, Resilience

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Amy F. T. Arnsten, A. F. T. (2009). Stress signaling pathways that impair prefrontal cortex structure and function. Nature Reviews Neuroscience 10(6): 410–422.

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Memory• Fear and anxiety• Learning, Adaptation, Resilience • Addiction Behaviors & Risk

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Memory• Fear and anxiety• Learning, Adaptation, Resilience • Addiction Behaviors & Risk• Communication & Support Impacts

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https://pixabay.com/en/father-son-family-1383159/ - labeled as public domain

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Control

Some Other Key Factors

Image adapted from presentation - http://www.slideshare.net/kimappel/psy-150-403-chapter-11-slides

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Let’s simplify this a bit… In hundreds of experiments (including lots of

variations)… Two groups of rats can be subjected to a really

terrible stimulus – like a painful electrical shock If one group has the ability to exert SOME control --

like shutting off the shock once it’s started…. They will show effects similar to a control group that

has no painful stimulus – in other words, the stimulus is not as stressful

The rats experiencing the same pain, but with no means to control will waste away

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Helping people regain a sense of control

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Previous slide reference…

Keller, A., Litzelman, K., Wisk, L. E., Maddox, T., Cheng, E. R., Creswell, P. D., & Witt, W. P. (2012). Does the perception that stress affects health matter? The association with health and mortality. Health Psychology, 31(5), 677.

McGonigal’s Summaries• Also in book “The Upside of Stress”

(2015)• Do not fear stress response• It’s a call to action• It should call for us to reach out, build

relationships, and personal networks with family, loved ones, and community

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Pause, Questions, Review Your Work as an Ag Professional: Helping to

Tame Farm Stress (audience, ag service sector)

Farm Stress & Decision Making During Challenging Times (audience, ag community, family members, employees)

Exercise• It’s kind of a big deal!• Release of natural endorphins• Strengthen circulatory, respiratory, brain

function, immune system• Brain oxygen, nourishment (20% of energy)• Positive cortisol effects (receptors, size of

hippocampus, positive effects on PFC)

(A) Example of hippocampus segmentation and graphs demonstrating an increase in hippocampus volume for the aerobic exercise group and a decrease in volume for the

stretching control group.

Kirk I. Erickson et al. PNAS 2011;108:3017-3022

©2011 by National Academy of Sciences

Meditation & Mindfulness

• Grow, strengthen and thicken hippocampus• Diminishes influence of the amygdala• Oxygen, breathing• Focus on here and now increases sense of

control

Photo Creative Commons from https://www.flickr.com/photos/usfwsmidwest/

Counseling – Third Party Help

• Provide perspective and moderate emotional conversations.

• Reinforce positive behavioral and lifestyle changes.• Accountability and follow-through.• Our DATCP offers vouchers for support.

Some Comments and Specific Thoughts on Your Role

-don’t do it alone-TIME-team approach-your stress and well-being

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Conclusion…•Stress is complicated. But, not really (helping people fix things IS complex)

•Acute stress evolves toward chronic stress

•Chronic stress alters brain – impacts are reversible, but health is crucial

•At least seven impacts – they “pile on” to each other

•Helping people help themselves takes patience, time, & multi-approaches

•Part of impact is our VIEW of how it effects our lives. Framing is critical for people’s health. Helping people regain a sense of positive CONTROL is really critical!

supporting farmers during challenging times · on all family members. • obvious impacts –...

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