01/12/2026
Growing up on a farm teaches you that nothing important happens by accident. Healthy crops don’t just appear. Livestock don’t thrive without attention. Equipment doesn’t last if it’s run hard and never maintained, and families, especially farm families, require the same kind of steady care.
I grew up on a farm, and those lessons stuck with me. Farming means long days, early mornings, weather you can’t control, and the quiet pressure of responsibility. It teaches you resilience, but it can also teach you to carry more than you should on your own.
That’s why I want to talk plainly about caring for your health before problems grow, especially the kind of stress that doesn’t always show up on a lab test.
Farm life is rewarding, but it’s not easy. Stress comes with the territory: unpredictable markets, weather extremes, financial pressure, physical wear and tear, and the sense that everyone is counting on you.
For generations, farmers have handled stress the same way they’ve handled everything else, by pushing through. That work ethic has built strong families and communities. But sometimes, pushing through without support can quietly lead to unhealthy coping habits.
Alcohol and prescription medications are common tools people use to take the edge off pain, exhaustion, or anxiety. Prescription medications used responsibly, and as prescribed, can be helpful. Used as a way to manage constant stress or emotional strain, they can slowly become something else.
This isn’t about blame. It’s about awareness.
Farmers understand stewardship better than most. You rotate crops so the soil doesn’t get depleted. You service equipment before it breaks down in the field. You watch your herd closely for early signs of trouble.
Your health, and the health of your family, is no different.
Paying attention early matters. Trouble rarely shows up all at once. It starts quietly: relying on a drink to sleep, using pain medication longer than intended, feeling irritable or disconnected, or noticing changes in a loved one that don’t quite sit right.
Addressing those signs early is not weakness. It’s wisdom.
One of the hardest lessons for people who work the land is knowing when to ask for help. Independence runs deep in agricultural families. But even the most capable farmers rely on others, co-ops, neighbors, veterinarians, mechanics, and agronomists.
Health works the same way.
Reaching out for support, whether to a provider, counselor, or community resource, isn’t giving up control. It’s taking responsibility. It’s choosing longevity over burnout. It’s protecting the people and the legacy you’re working so hard to sustain.
That’s where the Smith County Drug and Alcohol Council comes in. Their work isn’t about judgment or punishment. It’s about education, prevention, and making sure you know there are people who can provide tools to help you live a healthier life.
Their goal is the same as yours: healthy families, strong futures, and a community that lasts.
If you want to learn about resources or just start a conversation, contact your local health provider. Help is available right here at home.
Farming teaches you to think long-term. You plant knowing you won’t harvest for months. You care for the land with the next generation in mind.
I encourage you to take that same long view with your health.
Look after your body. Pay attention to stress. Check in on your family. And don’t hesitate to lean on the community around you.
Taking care of yourself is part of taking care of the farm, the family, and the future you’re working to protect.
*This feature article by Dr. Justin Overmiller is part of a series in collaboration with the Smith County Drug and Alcohol Council
