When the auctioneer announced the Men at Risk program was in the lobby and willing to talk to farmers about stress, suicide or their troubles, men in the stands used to snicker and tell their buddy to go for a visit.
Now it’s different, said program co-ordinator Irene Fraser, who has set up a display and brochures at the Viking Auction Market for the last three years.
“It’s now OK to have a discussion. At least I can give them information,” said Fraser, whose job is to offer help to men at risk because of financial stress, drugs, alcohol or family problems.
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“These people tend to need a long time to form relationships,” said Fraser.
The recent dry weather has sent her further afield in July to conduct workshops in Camrose, Killam and Viking.
During the meeting in Camrose, Fraser also invited members of the Wild Rose Agricultural Producers, career counsellors and financial advisors to let farmers know what options are available to get through tough times other than suicide, drinking or gambling.
“Men tend to self isolate and turn to drinking or gambling to cope,” she said.
It was Fraser’s Men at Risk advisory committee that alerted her to the extra pressure farmers would face this year because of the cool, dry weather, and she wanted to let more people know where information and help are available.
“This is a good way of getting people the information before it gets too late and they sink into a deep depression.”
As a mental health worker, Fraser knows that suicide is seen as a solution to solving problems. In Alberta, four times as many men will commit suicide as women. In east central Alberta, where Fraser works, eight times as many men as women commit suicide.
She knows of two livestock producers who committed suicide in recent months.
Bonnie Lavallee, program co-ordinator with Lokken Career Training, said more farmers and farm wives are coming to her office looking for ways to earn extra income or change jobs.
Lavallee said she’s helped farmers update and build resumes, identify their skills and navigate their way through the job market.
“We work with them in their employment goals.”
Fraser said she talks to many women at the auction market about their family stresses. Many of the women are more willing to talk about their stress and will pick up pamphlets to take home.
“There’s lots of pressure in the industry and I just want people to know there are places to turn for help,” she said.
Humphrey Banack, president of Wild Rose Agricultural Producers, said he came to the meeting to make sure farmers know about existing farm support programs and what their organization is doing to address some of the programs’ shortcomings.
“Farmers are looking for some answers on how to manage their way through these tough times,” said Banack.
“We want to let farmers know how to manage the farm programs and make them work for them.”
He says farmers’ stress levels rise and fall depending on the weather.
Recent rains have buoyed farmers’ spirits as they watch the grass begin to grow, but a week of hot dry weather or an early frost could send spirits plunging again.
