Help available for farmers, ranchers battling stress, depression
ADRIENNE DESUTTER, A BEHAVIORAL HEALTH CONSULTANT WHO WORKS WITH AGRICULTURE AGENCIES TO COMBAT FARMER SUICIDES, PRESENTED “PROFITS AND PRESSURE: HOW THE FARM ECONOMY IMPACTS FARMER WELLNESS” DURING THE 2020 AMERICAN FARM BUREAU CONVENTION JAN. 18 IN AUSTIN, TEXAS. PHOTO BY LOUISIANA FARM BUREAU
By Chuck Cannon
Louisiana Farm Bureau Federation
AUSTIN, Texas – As farmers and ranchers struggle with low commodity prices, catastrophic weather events and what are perceived as harsh government regulations, many find themselves battling stress, depression and thoughts of suicide.
Adrienne DeSutter, a behavioral health consultant who works with agriculture agencies to combat farmer suicides and provide education on personal wellness, and Krista Swanson, a finance expert who works to analyze the farm-level impact of policies that influence agriculture, presented “Profits and Pressure: How the Farm Economy Impacts Farmer Wellness” during the 2020 American Farm Bureau Convention Jan. 18 in Austin, Texas.
DeSutter compared agriculture in 2019 to Zots candy: A little bitter, a little sour.
“The unique part of this is, just like 2019, this is something that we all got to experience together,” she said. “These stresses and this kind of chaos is something that happened to all of us, and if there’s one good thing that came out of 2019 is that we were in it together and we were going through these stresses together.”
DeSutter turned the dais over to Swanson who gave those in attendance an overview of what 2019 was like for farmers: Flooding that impacted large areas of the U.S. and Puerto Rico; hurricanes and snow storms; commodity prices so low that some farmers were unable to make loan payments; and government regulations that often tied the hands of ranchers and farmers.
“It’s easy to feel like you’re alone sometimes or the situations you’re facing only impact you,” Swanson said. “Maybe that’s true at some times, but a lot of the times the things that stress us impact a larger group of people.”
Swanson painted to soybeans the fluctuation of soybean prices during the past few years to paint a picture faced by agriculture produces.
“It’s really hard as a farmer when you have product to sell and you’re not getting a cash price that allows you to make a profit,” she said. “That leads to stress.”
DeSutter said farming has been listed as one of the occupations with most amount of stress.
“Farming is rewarding, but it’s also stressful,” she said. “We know farming isn’t for everyone.”
Because family dynamics play a large role in many farms, DeSutter said that could add even more stress.
“You might have a disagreement over farm issues, yet you still have to have Thanksgiving and Christmas dinner with those family members,” she said. “That occupational stress can bleed out into other areas of our life because farming is our identity.”
In addition to family, DeSutter said other factors affecting the stress level of farmers are financial issues and long work hours. She also pointed out that farmers are isolated – it’s just the farmer and his tractor.
“Farmers are often isolated and have no one to bounce ideas off of during the day,” she said.
She also mentioned that farmers are often risk takers and have a tendency to not ask for help – to try and do it themselves.
“That plays a major role on your stress and business,” she said. “That drive to get through things on your own sometimes puts a barrier between you and seeking the help you need when stress builds up.”
DeSutter said farming has the highest rate of stress-related fatalities, such as heart disease, high blood pressure and ulcers, and work-related fatalities, such as farm accidents that are often results of stressful situations.
“And farming is an occupation that is at the top of numbers of suicide deaths,” she said.
She said suicide rates among farmers needs to be addressed and prioritizing mental health to keep farm families safer.
“We can recognize those signs of stress, address them and try to prevent them,” DeSutter said.
DeSutter said it’s often difficult to recognize signs of stress or depression.
“We all suffer from stress at some point, so it’s hard sometimes for us to see it in others,” she said.
While some “signs” might not be an indication of stress, multiple signs might mean someone is suffering from stress or depression.
“The biggest thing to look for is changes in typical behavior,” she said. “Whether it’s eating, sleeping or some other activity the person normally does, you might want to check on them. We at least need to ask them and let them know you’re concerned.”
If you see someone who might be experiencing stress or depression, DeSutter offered these tips:
Ask – don’t ignore symptoms
Be there – empathize with them and let them know you’re there for them
For more information on how to help those suffering from stress or depression visit the following:
Nation Suicide Prevention Lifeline, (800) 273-8255
Text Crisis Text Line 741-741
Farm Aid Farmer Hotline, (800) 327-6243
Mentalhealthamerica.net/finding-help