More than half of farmers experienced symptoms of moderate to extreme depression in the past week Almost a quarter (23.4%) of Irish farmers are at risk of taking their own life, according to “stark” research figures released to coincide with Agri Mental Health Week.
The study, funded by the HSE’s National Office for Suicide Prevention, was conducted by University College Dublin’s School of Agriculture and Food Science and is based on a series of 10 one-to-one interviews with farmers, four focus groups, including one with industry professionals who deal directly with farmers, and a national survey carried out within the last four months.
A total of 256 farmers aged between 21 to 70 years took part in the survey, across a variety of farm types and sizes.
Of those who responded, 55.5% indicated that, within the last week, they had experienced symptoms of moderate to extreme depression. 44.1% said they had experienced symptoms of moderate to extremely severe anxiety, and 37.9% reported symptoms of moderate to extreme stress.
Lead authors Tomás Russell, assistant professor in agricultural extension and innovation, and Alison Stapleton said participants rated government policies designed to reduce climate change, outsiders not understanding farming and concern over the future of the farm as the most stressful aspects of farming.
Speaking to the Irish Examiner, Mr Russell explained: “On the climate change side of things, it’s not the policies themselves; it’s the fact that farmers are feeling that these policies have been imposed on them, and they’ve had no voice in terms of the development or implementation of them.
“The big word that came out of the qualitative interviews was ‘scapegoated’ — that came through strongly and repeatedly. We had a lot of farmers feeling angry that they feel that they don’t have a voice — and farmers also feeling very angry with themselves, saying, ‘I’m angry, that I didn’t stand up and talk. I don’t feel that my voice has been adequately heard in this debate’.”
Interestingly, the quantitative results also showed that those with a greater emotional attachment to their farms were also more likely to have poor mental well-being.
“The other thing that was coming through was this love for the land — or land on the mind,” Mr Russell said. “A lot of farmers say their life is spent either on their farm or thinking about their farm — at night, in the house, in bed. So anything that threatens that farm or threatens that identity will have an impact on mental wellbeing.
“The more farmers think about their land, the more they get consumed by it. And when it’s threatened – whether it’s by climate policies or succession — it can be critical to their mental well-being.”
He advised those feeling down to reach out to someone urgently. “It could be within your community, within your friend group and to the services that are out there.
“Even within the industry, there is a huge awareness – whether it’s your advisor or the local co-op. There are people willing to listen.”
If you have been affected by this article or the conditions described in this article, take the first step and visit aware.ie for support.
(Source – Irish Examiner – Farming – Rachel Martin – 12/10/2022)
When A Quarter Of Our Farmers Are At Risk Of Suicide, That’s More Than A Crisis
Irish farmers have traditionally been very proud of themselves as food producers, yet changes on the horizon threaten the very notion of what a “good farmer” is.
It puts more than a shudder down your spine when UCD research concludes that almost a quarter of Irish farmers (23.4%) are at risk of taking their own life.
The research conducted by Alison Stapleton and Tomas Russell is based on 256 farmers’ responses which were scored according to the Depressive Symptom Inventory Suicidality Subscale — a clinical psychology tool to assess the frequency and intensity of suicidal impulses.
Those surveyed ranged from 21 to 70 years old, spread across each major agricultural sector in Ireland, with some reporting working up to 15-hour days to keep their businesses afloat.
Over the last year, there have been far too many stories of well-known farmers taking their own lives in Ireland.
A recurring theme coming up in discussions with farmers is the impact of major changes on the horizon to agricultural policy and how that is changing how farmers are perceived in society.
Irish farmers have traditionally been very proud of themselves as food producers and the role they play in ensuring food security both nationally and internationally.
The challenge comes from the disconnect created when farmers are asked to scale back productivity to reduce national emissions and what they see as their duty as custodians of the land and agriculture.
They feel like food production is no longer valued in today’s world, eroding their value in society.
“It might seem like a trivial change to non-farmers that instead of managing their farms to optimise food production, farmers will be asked to take on greater environmental stewardship, but to farmers, this is shifting the tectonics underpinning their entire industry; and with it, the very notion of what a “good farmer” is”.
It is difficult to see the wood from the trees when you are in the thick of a personal crisis — and it’s even harder when your life is also your livelihood.
Family fall-outs, divorce, financial woes, an investment gone wrong… it would surprise you who has walked the same lonely path and come out the other side.
Add solitary working conditions, a high workload and time pressure, the odd machinery breakdown, a run of bad weather conditions, irregular income, and you can see why farming is a pressure pot for poor mental health.
A worry shared is almost always a worry halved, and while it may not feel like it now, sweet morning light always follows the darkest of nights; remember spring always follows winter, and no storm can last forever.
Your winter might be a long and difficult one, but know that even it will ease.
Things might not go the way you envisaged or planned, but life always goes on.
It’s the same all around the world. A survey in Australia showed that just 9% of farmers reported visiting a doctor about their mental health in the last year compared to 16% of the general population.
But it doesn’t mean that Aussie farmers are made of more or don’t suffer from depression. In fact, despite this, farmers were found to be more than three times as likely to have experienced high levels of psychological distress than the wider population due to the challenges of their work and environment over that same period.
This week marks the third Ag Mental Health Week, an initiative cofounded in Ireland by Cork dairy farmer Peter Hynes.
This year, the team are challenging farmers to walk a mile a day over the week.
The benefits of walking for mental health are well recorded, and it’s good to get into the habit of regularly taking some time to let go.
Research has shown that those who don’t have coping mechanisms in place are most at risk of suicide, underlining the importance of having a support structure in place and a way of winding down.
“Your ‘daily walk’ might be taking an hour at the end of the day to sit down with a cup of tea and a paper; or perhaps it’s treating yourself to a long soak in the bath at the end of a hard week”.
Even journaling has been shown to be an effective way of processing intrusive thoughts and breaking a cycle of rumination.
And if your mental health is currently good, perhaps you could be the source of support for someone else.
Up North, Young Farmers’ Clubs of Ulster have been arming members with club mugs and packets of biscuits to start conversations in their communities about mental health this week.
It’s a brilliant idea because it’s simple enough that every one of us can do it.
Just simply pick up the phone and ask that neighbour, cousin, or old pal you haven’t seen in a while, how they are keeping and if you can call in for a yarn and cup of tea with them.
So your challenge this week is to get out for a walk, and then treat yourself afterwards to a cuppa and some bickies with someone long overdue a catch-up — that sounds like ideal ‘homework’ to me!
And finally, if you’re looking for a recommendation for something to read this week, I’d suggest a quick Google of Doug Avery: The Resilient Farmer.
- If you have been affected by this article or conditions described in this article, take the first step and visit aware.ie for support.
(Source – Irish Examiner – Farming – Rachel Martin – 13/10/2022)