Discussion Farms are healthy for the mentally ill??

[Versailles]

More than one hundred experts from fourteen countries met in 2007 in Stavanger, Norway, to learn about the Green Care system (Health Farms), which combines farm work, teaching and health care. The NRK radio-television network indicates that when they start working on the farms, some people who have suffered from mental disorders for years no longer need to be institutionalized. It is "healthy for the mind and for the body". More than 600 traditional farms in Norway collaborate with Green Care, and receive additional income for it.

Or this is what a publication of the Jehovah's Witnesses of April 2007 says, I would like to know if they think of this and if this is still valid.

 

[Symbiote]

As a green thumb myself, gardening does make me feel calm. Plants are easier to manage than humans, and if you don't like a plant, you just rip it out of the ground and run it over with a lawn mower.

 

[senti-mental]

Or this is what a publication of the Jehovah's Witnesses of April 2007 says, I would like to know if they think of this and if this is still valid.

As beneficial as nature and a simple life can be for the mind, take anything said by the jehovah's witnesses regarding healthcare, especially mental health, with a grain (or a pillar) of salt. They are notoriously anti-psychology, and believe all mental illnesses are just caused by a lack of relationship with God. I've seen many mentally ill people in that cult be convinced to simply put more of their time and energy into the organization instead of getting proper help. It's why i never got real help until i was an adult.

 

[Shu]

Connecting to the earth in any way possible has always helped me and was beneficial. Especially when I took the damn rubber off my feet and stood on the

 

[Al Cappella]

Absolutely. Being around animals & the outdoors invariably improves mood and health. It gives purpose and focus too. Just watch out for the murder hornets…

 

[speck]

Of course! Light, air, and the feeling of being productive and useful are salves for the soul. But it's not a magic pill and it won't help you outrun your problems- the sun sets everyday and you must stop working, go inside and sit with yourself.
I think this work is good for the mentally ill, but from my own personal experience I think putting yourself in an isolated farm environment can be very damaging if you are spinning out.

 

[watchingthewheels]

As a green thumb myself, gardening does make me feel calm. Plants are easier to manage than humans, and if you don't like a plant, you just rip it out of the ground and run it over with a lawn mower.

I've said the same thing about dealing with paper charts and and records management vs. working in customer service; the documents just go where there told, and don't give you a hard time. Not glamorous work, but oddly therapeutic, just filing, and filing...

 

[Burned out]

Just finished planting 50 strawberry plants. $4 plant (that is a carry-over) cloned itself that many times in just a few months.

 

[Foresight]

Intuitively I would say yes. Working with your hands, sunlight, movement, a sense of purpose to your day, a feeling of accomplishment, etc. I think even working with dirt is healthy but I'm not sure.

 

[motel rooms]

The best kind of farms for us are the ones they sent our sick or elderly pets to when we were children.

 

[Versailles]

The best kind of farms for us are the ones they sent our sick or elderly pets to when we were children.

Hey, didn't you go on a spree?

 

[Zzzzz]

they are just trying to exploit the mentally ill. How predictable humans are. "Go to work" is always the answer it seems. It's not farmwork that helps as much as being in nature AWAY from the dystopian wage-slave cities. Being away from all the stress, drama, greed, hostility, violence and arrogance that is a part of human society. Going on a walk through nature will provide the same benefit, unless you really just like gardening or farming as a hobby

 

[SuicidallyCurious]

Somewhat routine , repetitive work

This kind of stuff helped me in my life. Always good to have a distraction

 

[eryu]

they are just trying to exploit the mentally ill. How predictable humans are. "Go to work" is always the answer it seems. It's not farmwork that helps as much as being in nature AWAY from the dystopian wage-slave cities. Being away from all the stress, drama, greed, hostility, violence and arrogance that is a part of human society. Going on a walk through nature will provide the same benefit, unless you really just like gardening or farming as a hobby

Even if it's not innate then you could still say that the idea of work=selfworth are so inculcated that it still relieves feelings of low value.
I agree that a lot of it has to do with being away from people, drama, crowds, noise.
Also, I'd guess many people who actually work on farms (not as part of some mental health initiative) probably deal with a lot of the same bullshit (toxic interpersonal drama, stressful demands to increase productivity).

 

[Burned out]

One thing about having many plants is you can sort of trap yourself if the weather gets hot in your area, which forces you to take 20 minutes of your day watering plants so they don't die.

Bit of a double edged sword. Part of my childhood was on a farm, but all I really remember is fresh fruit and feisty cows. Now that location is just one big neighborhood; no evidence it ever existed.

 

[orange]

I love animals, I would have loved living on a farm. I imagine a farmer's life is pretty hard though.

 

[Dot]

Th plce tht slf = stayng @ hs smll farm as prt of th facilty
Slf am nt abl 2 N-gge w/ it bt = bg hlp 2 th othrs hre