supporting farmers during challenging times · on all family members. • obvious impacts –...
TRANSCRIPT
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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Seven Impacts – Chronic Stress
• 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
9-10
Seven Impacts – Chronic Stress
• Chronic stress as a vicious cycle• Physical health effects• Impact on Decision Making, Distraction, and
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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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.
10-11
Seven Impacts – Chronic Stress
• Chronic stress as a vicious cycle• Physical health effects• Impact on Decision Making, Distraction, and
Memory• Fear and anxiety• Learning, Adaptation, Resilience • Addiction Behaviors & Risk
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Seven Impacts – Chronic Stress
• Chronic stress as a vicious cycle• Physical health effects• Impact on Decision Making, Distraction, and
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!