When Tough Seasons Leave a Mark

Written by Sarah Crosthwaite – Open Road Counselling

Farming communities are used to tough times. 

Droughts, floods, bushfires, farm accidents, livestock losses and financial pressures  are all realities that many farmers may face. When a crisis happens, there is often little  choice but to keep going. Animals still need to be fed, crops need to be managed, bills  need to be paid, and families need to be supported. 

For many people, the response is to put their head down, push their feelings aside  and focus on the next job that needs to be done. In farming, staying busy can become  a way of avoiding what we are feeling or what we have experienced. 

The problem is that pushing difficult experiences and emotions down does not make  them disappear. 

When the rain finally comes, the fire is out, the fences are rebuilt or the immediate  crisis has passed, there can be an expectation that life should simply return to normal.  But emotional recovery does not always happen at the same pace as physical  recovery. 

Sometimes people continue to push difficult feelings down for months or even years.  They stay busy, work longer hours or avoid thinking and talking about what they have  experienced. 

Eventually, those experiences can find other ways of showing up. 

You might notice changes in your sleep, increased irritability, physical exhaustion or  ongoing health issues. You might find yourself drinking more alcohol as a way of  pushing difficult emotions away. You may become more withdrawn from family and  friends or find yourself shutting down completely when things become overwhelming. 

Often, it is our relationships that feel the impact first. 

We tend to take our frustrations out on the people closest to us. Communication breaks  down. Partners can feel pushed away. Family members may feel like they are walking  on eggshells. Sometimes the people around us can see that we are struggling long  before we are ready to recognise it ourselves. 

Acknowledging what you have been through does not mean dwelling on it. It does not  mean you have failed to cope. It simply means recognising that something difficult  happened and allowing yourself the time and space to process it. 

There is no simple answer to recovering from difficult experiences, and everyone will  respond differently. But in my work with farming communities, I often see a difference  between those who intentionally create some space for recovery and those who don't.

While it can be hard, it is often those who put even a small amount of time aside for  themselves and their loved ones who recover well. Sometimes that means stepping  away from the farm, even for 24 hours. It might mean slowing down when possible,  spending time with family, reconnecting with friends or doing something that has  absolutely nothing to do with farming. Something as simple as a paddock barbecue or  hitting a golf ball around the paddock can give your mind and body a chance to slow  down, reconnect and release some of the pressure that has been building. 

Reaching out and talking honestly with someone you trust or seeking professional  support when things are becoming difficult to manage alone, are also ways you can  release some of the pressure that can build up inside. 

These actions may seem small, particularly when there is always another job waiting.  But they give our minds and bodies an opportunity to recover. 

Farming will always have difficult seasons. We cannot control the weather, markets or  many of the events that happen around us. What we can do is recognise when those  experiences have taken a toll. 

The people who make space to acknowledge what has happened, maintain their  relationships and allow themselves opportunities to step away often find it easier to  move forward. 

Ignoring the impact may work for a while. But surviving a tough season and recovering  from one are two very different things. 

Sometimes recovery starts by simply acknowledging, "That was really tough, and it  affected me more than I thought it would."

Sarah Crosthwaite – Open Road Counselling

sarah@openroadcounselling.com.au

www.openroadcounselling.com.au

This article is a part of Ability Agricultures Community Wellbeing Series - Supported by Qantas Regional Grant 2025/26

Sarah is a farmer and registered mental health professional in Australia.