Episode 51 - Learning Who She is Through ADHD, Anxiety & Depression with Bev Ross

by Erica Leniczek November 4, 2022

I had the opportunity to interview one of my mentors, and friend, Bev Ross of Ross Roots Farm, We Drink & We Farm Things Podcast & Joy Farmer Podcast. Bev lives with her husband and children on their farm in Ohio where they have Nigerian Dwarf Goats, Percy the Pet Cow, chickens and ducks, donkeys, and her extra-large sized garden.

During our conversation, Bev tells all about her operation and her recent mental health journey. Bev was recently diagnosed with ADHD, anxiety and depression as an adult and has been learning about her mental health through new tools and tips, and the help of her healthcare team while also running various businesses, working and parenting.

Bev talks about things that she has learned that work and don't work for her, and how she has tried various medications and doses of medications. She talked about how her old tools that she used to cope had to change, because she couldn't use them with her medication and even though she felt more focused and could get more done, she felt like she was hyper-focusing on the wrong things and almost too much - where she felt like she wasn't getting things done. Bev learned how to take breaks and communicate differently with her family and health care team, and had to learn a bit more about creating boundaries for herself and others in her life.

Living with ADHD, anxiety and depression made Bev feel like she didn't really know herself, because she couldn't be who she was. She felt like an outsider and couldn't connect with people, but now she wants to connect with people and has learned how to pay attention, focus, and some tools to help her be the best version of herself.

Some of the things Bev does include, but are not limited to:

- Turning her phone to Do Not Disturb

- Limits her TV watching

- Not listening to music that makes her feel like people aren't good or like there is only one way to be

- Limits social media and unfollows negative accounts

Bev prides herself in making part of her mission to not focus on the hard part of things and to stop the romanticism of over-extending yourself and the "hustle culture" that we so much in agriculture now.

"The world is not a pie with finite pieces, we are all bakers, so we can create more spaces as they're needed" is Bev's analogy to there's room at the table for everyone.

Listen to Episode 51 with Bev Here

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If you’re looking for more great food & ag focused podcasts to listen to you can check out the Positively Farming Media playlist on Spotify. There you will find all of the podcasts on the Positively Farming Media Podcast Network just like The Rural Mindset Podcast. | Listen to the Positively Farming Playlist on Spotify