Farmers in Crisis, Long Overlooked, Are Finally Getting Mental Health Support — Scientific American
Amid a mounting mental health crisis among farmers, experts are working to make help more accessible
By Anna Mattson
The agriculture business has become increasingly unstable. Financial uncertainty, physical isolation and increasingly unpredictable crop yields linked to climate change are just some of the stressors that are fueling a mental health crisis among farmers. The anxiety can be overwhelming—especially in many farming communities that have historically struggled with access to mental health services and the stigma of seeking help. A recent CDC study of occupational suicide risk found that male farmers, ranchers and other agricultural managers had a suicide rate more than 50 percent higher than the overall suicide rate of men in all surveyed occupations. Research also suggests that farmers have increased risk of heart disease caused in part by chronic stress and hardships from the job.
These alarming statistics have spurred nationwide mental health efforts that are finally showing signs of paying off. Some programs, such as the Farm Aid farmer resource network and Michigan State University’s Managing Farm Stress program, are alleviating financial emergencies, providing access to free hotlines and therapy, and building support networks within the community. Therapists and other mental health professionals who specialize in agriculture-related issues have been setting up more resources to help farmers and combat stigma about seeking treatment. Research suggests that stigma is now starting to change: in the American Farm Bureau Federation’s latest survey of 2,000 farmers, 92 percent said they would be comfortable talking about solutions for dealing with stress or a mental health condition with a friend or family member.