General Can a person with combat ptsd work on a farm?

[Bananaflip]

So sorry for going anonymous.
A friend of ours has combat ptsd and is looking for a job. Another friend of ours, a farmer, is looking for helpers. My sufferer and me told him about the job opportunity, he met with the farmer, who told him he can start working there ASAP.
However another friend of ours has told the farmer the vet has combat ptsd. Now the farmer says he is very sorry but the vet cannot work for him because his farm is not a place for a person with combat ptsd. I have told him that the vet is being pretty stable and never acted violent, but the farmer still does not want him, is afraid he could get stressed/triggered by working there and wanted to tell him he cannot come. He says he never had a person with ptsd working for him and does not now how to react if the vet becomes stressed. I asked him to wait so I can give him information about people with combat ptsd working on a farm.

This vet was very happy for the job opportunity and thanked us and the farmer a thousand times. He is currently not doing anything and would really love to work there.
My sufferer has combat ptsd and while he works in another job he has in several cases helped out on a farm and found it very relaxing... but I do not want to dismiss the farmers concerns lightly. Has any of you heard of studies about this or can give me more info or tell me from your own experience?

Thanks a lot!

 

[anthony]

He says he never had a person with ptsd working for him and does not now how to react if the vet becomes stressed.

The farmer should wakeup to himself, because he obviously can't comprehend that anyone with PTSD is not violent. PTSD does not make a person violent. Stressed? Sure. Anxious? Sure. Violent? No. PTSD and violence are a myth. The opposite is usually more true, in that those with PTSD avoid conflict or other complex issues, to avoid stressing themselves further. A person with PTSD is simply more likely to walk away without saying anything, than getting violent. The average person without PTSD is more likely to display violent / aggressive tendencies, than a person with PTSD.

The farmer and the person who told the farmer, both need to get their facts straight.

 

[Bananaflip]

So sorry for creating confusion. Our friend the farmer did not say that the vet was being violent. He just said that he had no idea how to cope with a person with mental health issues. He believes that a secluded farm where he has no contact to other men in similar circumstances is not the best place for him.
It was me who explained to him that the vet was not violent because I thought that this could be one of his fears. I think he believed me but still does believe that a person with ptsd should work for him because he never met one before - apart from my sufferer but he does not know about his diagnosis. He also believes that the work, hard work, will trigger and stress him, that something might happen to the vet and he will get the blame.

So I wondered if people on this board can share experiences with me or point me to studies about combat ptsd and this kind of workplace.

Thank you so much.

 

[anthony]

Studies are not going to help this IMO. The simplest solution is that you tell the farmer he knows and talks with a PTSD sufferer (your partner) and now what does he think about their capacity for work?

You can search studies via Google scholar if you want to go that route. Unfortunately, if a person fears wha they do not understand, and they have no willingness to even learn for themselves by experience, then there is little that can be done.

The person who told the farmer of their diagnosis really needs a good kick in the arse and told to STFU about things they don't understand.

 

[EveHarrington]

I don’t think you’re going to find ANY studies regarding ptsd vets working on farms because it’s just not a high priority thing to study.

This is discrimination, pure and simple.

People need to educate themselves.

 

[shimmerz]

However another friend of ours has told the farmer the vet has combat ptsd. Now the farmer says he is very sorry but the vet cannot work for him because his farm is not a place for a person with combat ptsd.

Cultural myth making about PTSD is fed by media and fueled by fear.

Nothing you can do if this farmer won't take this guy on - trust me, I have tried explaining PTSD to a kazillion people. They either are too stupid to get it or they don't want to. Sorry, I know that is harsh, but I am so fed up with people's ignorance.

Oh, and the guy that told the farmer about the friend's diagnosis? After you slap him upside the head, make sure he isn't privy to information that can continue to destroy an already shattered life.

 

[blackemerald1]

Hi - I have ptsd ..clearly :sorry: and I am a farmers child; grew up on a farm, worked a farm and come from a endless line of farmers. :sorry: again

There is nothing in farming that should exclude someone with PTSD. In fact, possibly it is the ideal job.
It is quite physical which is good. Not having a huge amount of people milling about is great, animals are much more predictable than people! There is so much going for farm jobs... I give up telling...

If the farmer is willing to sit down with your friend and give him the time of day - it could be a really good win for both.

If the farmer isn't willing to sit down and chat with your friend it is never going to work.

It's all about personality really. Nothing about PTSD.

 

[Bananaflip]

The simplest solution is that you tell the farmer he knows and talks with a PTSD sufferer (your partner) and now what does he think about their capacity for work?

That would be the simplest solution but my sufferer does not want to do that. He does not want to discuss his ptsd.

There is nothing in farming that should exclude someone with PTSD. In fact, possibly it is the ideal job.
It is quite physical which is good. Not having a huge amount of people milling about is great, animals are much more predictable than people! There is so much going for farm jobs... I give up telling...

There aren‘t animals in this case, just fruits and vegetables.
I do think there are fewer triggers and stressors on a farm and it would be good for him and for the farmer (because farmers were we live have a hard time finding people willing to work for them).

 

[joeylittle]

Is the friend willing to discuss his PTSD with the farmer directly? Or ask him to let him work a day, see how it goes?

 

[Bananaflip]

I don‘t know @joelittle. Right now he does not even know our other friend told the farmer he has ptsd. Right now he is looking forward to working there.

 

[scout86]

I don't have combat related PTSD, but I do have PTSD and one of my favorite places to BE is on a farm. I'm not sure someone with PTSD need to work for an idiot though. Maybe the farmer isn't actually an idiot...... But, chances are that farmer already KNOWS people with PTSD and just doesn't know he knows. He's either willing to be open to the possibilities or he's not a good bet as an employer. Nothing wrong with the job fit at ALL.

 

[shimmerz]

Right now he is looking forward to working there.

Too bad I hadn't thought about this earlier. Damage control would be

lol lol lol - Oh! Bob told you JOHN had PTSD???? You need to be careful with the things Bob tells you. He hasn't mentioned to you that he suffers from paranoid schizophrenia? And man, it's a shame what happened to his neighbour isn't it? Oh boy, I probably shouldn't have said anything. Yeah, anyway, Bob is still a nice guy though...we are all just wondering where his neighbour went missing to??????

Goddammit I wish I had been there! Probably a bad idea rooted in poor taste but I giggle when I think about turning it back around onto 'Bob'.

Like really. Who would DO THAT? And no offense to schizophrenics either. I think it is just one of those diagnoses that instill the fear factor into people as well.