Communication with loved ones, neighbors and mental health professionals can be a key piece of addressing the stressors and mental health issues that affect farmers at higher rates than other professions.
According to the National Rural Health Association, suicide rates are “significantly higher” in rural areas than in urban areas and farmers die by suicide at a rate 3.5 times higher than the general population.
Mental health hotlines for farmers have seen more calls this year. In addition to the normally stressful profession, farmers have another year of unstable trade, less than desirable markets, high input costs and the phrase “farm crisis” on the tip of many people’s tongues.
Amber Wright, a therapist with Integrated Telehealth Partners, said there are certain signs that a farmer, or anyone, might be in a poor mental health state. Wright said communication, on the part of the person struggling and from their support network, are important factors in addressing some of the issues.
Wright, who meets with patients via telehealth at UnityPoint Health’s Behavioral Health Clinic in Grinnell, said irritability, increased substance or alcohol consumption, and sleeplessness are signs that someone might be having more than just a bad day.
“That could be another symptom of something else major,” Wright said.
According to FarmAid, which operates a hotline for farmers in need of assistance, farmers have unique stressors that affect their mental health: farming relies on factors outside of a farmer’s control, they often work alone for long hours at a time, there is a lot of pressure to hold onto their land and they usually have a self-reliant attitude that makes it difficult to ask for help.
Rural areas where farmers live are also more likely to be mental health care deserts, which adds to the difficulty of finding help.
Wright said meeting the “daily requirements” for living – adequate food, fluids and sleep – can help alleviate some of the stress that can lead to a more serious mental health issue. She also recommended farmers make time for a hobby or activity, like walking the dog, going for a drive, or grabbing coffee with a friend.
“Trying to find those skills that are going to help you decrease that stress and also kind of help bring your morale back up too,” Wright said.
Telehealth counseling and online resources can be another option for rural households. Iowa State University, Iowa Farm Bureau and Iowa Corn Growers Association have lists of mental health resources for farmers.
Other organizations, like Farm Rescue, offer operational support, like haying or feeding livestock, to farm families in distress.
ISU has the Iowa Concern hotline and a partnership with Farm Foundation to offer free counseling and other resources. The university also has a list of stress management resources, like financial planning, legal counseling and disaster assistance.
Wright said resources like this can be helpful to manage stress. Even writing out expenses and trying to come up with a financial plan can make it a little less stressful the next time a piece of equipment breaks down.
“Always communicate, write out things, write them down, talk to people … ask for help,” she said.
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