Christmas is the most wonderful time of the year, so goes the song. But for many people, it is also the most stressful time of the year.
Farming and ranching can be extremely stressful even on a good day; agricultural jobs rank in the top 10 most stressful in America. This stress contributes to something the agricultural community needs to talk about more; high rates of depression and suicide.
According to data from Extension programs and the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), roughly one in five farmers and ranchers suffer from depression. Farmers and ranchers are additionally over five times as likely to commit suicide as the general population (84.5 suicides per 100,000 people versus 16.1 per 100,000, respectively).
Working-aged, white men—agriculture’s largest demographic—represent seven out of every 10 suicides in America.
“The trends in suicide rates by sex, race, ethnicity, age, and mechanism that we see in the general population are magnified in rural areas,” said James Mercy, Ph.D., director of CDC’s Division of Violence Prevention. He stressed the data “underscores the need for suicide prevention strategies that are tailored specifically for these communities.”
The ag language
Access to mental health services is often difficult or non-existent in rural communities. The culture of stoic self-reliance that characterizes American farmers and ranchers can additionally make those suffering from depression or suicidal thoughts hesitant to seek help.
Efforts are underway in Colorado to train responders on the state’s suicide prevention hotline to better understand the unique stresses farmers and ranchers face.
“Agricultural people speak a different language,” Colorado Commissioner of Agriculture, Don Brown, told WLJ.
“When a rancher says they can’t feed their cows, if you didn’t know the language, the implication is they can’t feed the family pet. But in fact, if they say they can’t feed the cows, they can’t feed the kids, they can’t make the mortgage payment, they can’t make the interest payments, and their family’s inheritance is gone—that’s what that means.”
Brown said he was motivated to try to bridge this “language” gap between responders on the Colorado Crisis Hotline and farmers and ranchers who might seek help because of what he’s experienced.
“My family’s been farming for a long time. In the late ’70s we watched everything go straight up—prices and land values—then we watched the ’80s crash around us and what took place there. It was not a good thing, so I want to be proactive on this.”
Brown said he sees some of the same situations developing today, particularly with farmers and ranchers being under increasing financial stress.
“Commodity prices are at breakeven or less,” he noted. “There’s lots of pressure on everybody in a situation like this, so this was something that needed to be available for family members as well as producers themselves; anybody who might feel a need to talk to somebody.”
Ag-specific training efforts for Colorado Crisis Hotline responders are underway. Even though this is a Colorado-based effort, callers to the hotline from other states will not be turned away.
“We know that there’s not a lot of easy access to the rural and frontier counties,” said Mary Hoefler, manager of Colorado Crisis Services at the Office of Behavioral Health, speaking about efforts at reaching rural and agricultural communities in Colorado.
“A lot of it is about de-stigmatization and making it OK for people to talk about what’s going on.”
Talking about it
“It’s estimated that between 10-20 percent of people in the U.S. think about suicide at some time in their lives. In other words, one or two of your 10 closest friends may consider suicide at some point,” wrote Carly McCord, Ph.D., Director of Clinical Services at Texas A&M University and a licensed psychologist, in conjunction with AgriLife Extension researchers.
Talking about mental health concerns such as depression and suicidal thoughts can help, both for those suffering from them and their loved ones.
“The negative thoughts associated with stress and depression can be changed however, and
people do get better,” McCord added.
It is also important for people to know that depression and suicidal thoughts do not happen out of the blue; there are symptoms.
“If [loved ones] start noticing any changes in energy levels, sleep, appetite, substance abuse, mood, withdrawal, or anything that feels like a shift in how that person is functioning, they can call the hotline and talk to somebody,” said Hoefler.
Jarrod Hindman of the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment told WLJ that men especially can resist talking to anyone about mental health concerns. The “Man Therapy” project is an effort to help men seek support “one-on-one” if they are uncomfortable talking to another person.
“It’s a website that we designed specifically for working-aged men,” he told WLJ. “It’s essentially a space where we try to provide mental health support to men who are typically resistant to asking for help or acknowledging that they’re struggling with something. It’s a safe, anonymous place.”
The website offers visitors a “20-point head inspection” with a simple survey.
“It’s a self-assessment to get people started,” Hindman said.
Hindman also stressed the importance of talking with your doctor about mental health.
“What we know from the data is that a large percentage of older adults who die by suicide have seen their primary care physician in the month prior to their death. Their primary complaint is usually physical pain so it’s a missed opportunity.
“The more that we can get particularly rural physicians and primary care doctors who work with farmers and ranchers to inquire about mental health and screen for mental health during primary care visits, we think that that’s a good strategy,” he said.
“We’re a very self-reliant group,” Brown said of farmers and ranchers. However, he added that a lot of the stress in agriculture—the weather, the markets, the political climate—is outside individual control.
“Some of this is bigger than we are, and we need to try to remember that when we’re struggling.”
Improved mental health in agricultural communities is something that we can all work for, however. Resources exist from the national level to the local level (see related information boxes). In addition to the sources cited, most Extension programs offer resources on mental health online, which can be accessed privately.
As you get together with family this week, reach out if you or someone you know is or might be suffering from depression or suicidal thoughts. Talk to someone.
“I’m a very optimistic person,” said Brown of the future of the agricultural community. “But you have to get through the moment to get to the future.” — Kerry Halladay, WLJ editor
National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-8255
Colorado Crisis Hotline: 1-844-493-8255 or text “TALK” to 38255
Man Therapy Project: www.mantherapy.org
American Foundation for Suicide Prevention: www.afsp.org
- Mood: Anxiety, depression, rage, apathy, irritability
- Behaviors: Change in route; withdrawal from friends and activities; alcohol and/or drug abuse; refusing to take or hoarding medication; making a will or final arrangements; giving away possessions; no longer caring for themselves or their farm or livestock; angry outbursts
- Talk: talking of or hinting at suicide, suggesting people would be better off without them or that they are a burden to others
- Experiences: Feeling trapped, guilty, worthless, or hopelessness; in chronic or unbearable pain; issues with sleep and/or eating; unexplained physical symptoms such as persistent aches and pains
If you are depressed or having suicidal thoughts:
- Reach out for help by talking to someone, either a loved one or one of the resources mentioned;
- Remove whatever can harm you immediately (e.g., firearms, knives, pills) or move away from where those things are;
- Turn to other activities to take your mind off the suicidal thoughts; and
- Remember that people love you and there are healthy ways to deal with your challenges.
If someone you know exhibits warning signs of depression or suicide:
- Do not leave the person alone;
- Remove any firearms, alcohol, drugs, or sharp objects that could be used in a suicide attempt;
- Seek support from one of the resources mentioned;
- Take the person to an emergency room or seek help from a medical or mental health professional.
