Coffee: It’s Good For The Soul A Look at This Time Honored Tradition

 Beyond the feel good reasons

Connecting with friends on a regular basis is good for your health, says Andrea Bjornestad, Assistant Professor in the Department of Counseling and Human Development at South Dakota State University & SDSU Extension Mental Health Specialist.

 “We all have a human need to feel connected to others,” Bjornestad explains. “To feel connected, you need to be with people with whom you feel comfortable sharing your thoughts, ideas, worries and concerns.”

 Social support, Bjornestad adds, reduces the risk of depression – an important health outcome for farmers and ranchers, a group of individuals who in 2012, the CDC (Centers for Disease Control) listed as having the highest suicide rate.

 “We need to focus on farmers’ and ranchers’ mental health,” Bjornestad says. “With the economy the way it is, our farmers and ranchers are experiencing daily stress that may be turning into chronic stress.”

 She explains that chronic stress can contribute to the development of anxiety or depression.

 Bjornestad and Leacey Brown, SDSU Extension Gerontology Field Specialist, recently conducted a study of 185 farmers and ranchers from South Dakota and other Midwest states that looked at the impact of social support on the depression symptoms of farmers and ranchers.

 The survey looked at social support as coming from a significant other, friends or family. The study showed that 9.2 percent of participants were depressed. Higher scores on the three subscales (family, friend, significant other) were all associated with lower depression scores.

 “What was unique in my findings, is friendship support was the most significant type of support. Most farmers reported support from family members and/or a significant other. However, those with more depression symptoms reported less support from friends,” Bjornestad explains.

 She adds that unlike a physical illness, mental illness often goes undetected and undertreated.

 “When our body is hurt, we eventually go to the doctor. When our brain is hurt, we are more likely to ignore all the signs and symptoms,” Bjornestad says.

 Although coffee isn’t a cure-all, Bjornestad says it’s a healthy activity that shouldn’t be ignored.