‘Language is a powerful tool’: Do More Ag launches first awareness campaign

The Do More Agriculture Foundation (DMAF) recently launched its first awareness campaign dubbed, It Starts With Me.

The campaign aims to change the conversation around mental health within agriculture and to showcase how everyone has a role when it comes to ending the stigma around struggling with mental health.

“We each can promote change by making small adjustments to our internal and external language. We often don’t think about how the language we use can impact mental health,” says Do More Agriculture Foundation co-founder Kim Keller.

“Language is a powerful tool. Positive language creates positive outcomes, improves communication, and increases our confidence. This campaign aims to inspire reflection and encourage people to participate in their own way,” she says.

According to a survey from the University of Guelph, 35 per cent of the 1,100 producers surveyed by Dr. Andria Jones-Bitton met the criteria to be classified as depressed. The same study suggests that 58 per cent of those surveyed meet the criteria for struggling with anxiety.

With this inaugural campaign, DMAF hopes people will change the way they approach mental health by changing the language they use when someone is going through a tough time.

The campaign encourages those on social media to use the hashtag, #ItStartsWithMe to promote how they are changing the conversation around mental health.

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Categories: Advocacy / Health & Wellness / News