Farming and mental Health Stigma

As a child, I used to think that farmers had a higher threshold for pain than everyone else. My grandpa once cut his hand pretty badly while working in the field, but instead of heading to the hospital, he simply poured some rubbing alcohol on it and wrapped a handkerchief around it. He said, “It’ll be just fine, barely a flesh wound.”. He kept working. However, my grandma disagreed. She dragged him to the emergency department that was nearly an hour away. Sure enough,he needed 18 stitches.

These kinds of stories are all too common in the farming community. Many won’t see a doctor unless they absolutely have to… and preferably when the work is done! So, if you see a farmer voluntarily go to the hospital, you know it’s serious! But what about those health conditions that are more easily hidden but just as serious? I’m talking about mental health conditions such as burnout and anxiety. In these types of cases, a farmer is even more unlikely to seek help. I wanted to explore why.

How I viewed my grandpa was similar to how others viewed farmers: Farmers are often considered to be tough, strong, and self-reliant. These qualities certainly make sense given the long hours and the physically demanding work. But when you combine this with all of the factors that are outside of their control, many farmers are highly susceptible to depression, anxiety, and chronic stress symptoms.

High Rates of Poor Mental Health among Farmers

Depression, anxiety and chronic stress rates are high among farmers, so chances are high that you know someone who is suffering. According to a study published in 2020, 57% of Canadian farmers met the criteria for high anxiety, 35% for depression, and 76% reported moderate to high stress. If you thought these numbers sounded high, they are. Agriculture ranks among the top three most stressful occupations.

Do Farmers Seek Help Though?

Many farmers tend to leave their mental health symptoms untreated. In fact, a study showed that nearly 40% of farmers indicated that they would be unlikely to seek help for their mental health. So what happens? Just like their physical health symptoms, some farmers may ignore their symptoms while others try to ‘tough it out’ and hope that things will just get better on their own. Yet, without help, it’s unlikely that mental health symptoms will improve on their own. What’s more likely is that issues compound and over time, lead to a deterioration into more severe forms of mental illness.

So what were the reasons farmers gave for not seeking help? Common reasons were having limited access to resources and the high cost of professionals. Another common reason was fear that they could be judged negatively by others in the farming community. Not seeking help probably has a lot to do with the stigma still surrounding mental health.

What is stigma?

Stigma is when a negative perception or assumption about a person's character, circumstance, or situation stems from stereotypes that are commonly associated with individuals who belong to a particular group.

Stigma happens when people strongly disapprove of something and then pass judgment or make assumptions about a person in that circumstance. Stigma is most likely to happen when something is uncommon or seems to counter what’s expected of people. For example, my mom stayed in a bad relationship for a long time because getting a divorce wasn’t something that “good women” did back in the 1990s. But people’s perceptions change with growing awareness of issues. Talking with my mom now, she said it would’ve been a lot easier today as divorce is more common and no longer carries the social stigma that it used to.

Stigma and Mental Health

When it comes to mental health, stigma causes individuals to stay silent out of fear that they will be judged or misperceived and creates the potential for feelings of shame and inadequacy that impacts the likelihood that a person suffering from mental illness will seek help.

Stigma surrounding mental illness contributes to the idea that mental health struggles are uncommon or something to feel embarrassment about. But in reality, recent research in Canada reports that nearly 50% of Canadians will have or have had a mental health issue by the age of 40.

The Impact of Stigma

Stigma surrounding mental health can impact an individual's life both publicly and in the way they view themselves.

Public stigma occurs when an individual who has been labeled as having a mental health issue is assumed to be psychologically unwell or unfit to perform certain tasks. As a consequence, an individual is held back from living their life to the fullest. For example, they might not be invited to go out fishing with friends or asked to be the coach of a children’s sports team.

Self Stigma occurs when an individual who has a mental health issue views themselves negatively. This will impact their self esteem and self worth because they have internalized these negative assumptions. It’s common that they may isolate themselves to minimize opportunities for rejection or judgment. Unfortunately, this just pushes an individual further into a downward spiral that is difficult to free themselves from without help.

Getting Help Sooner than Later is Necessary

Stigma surrounding mental illness can slowly permeate an individual's life and leave them unable to function at their highest capability and withdraw from those around them. Without support and understanding, individuals may eventually experience an even greater decline in their mental health, become unable to cope with day-to-day tasks, or in some cases, develop thoughts of suicide.

Warning Signs of Poor Mental Health

Combating mental health stigma means that we first have to recognize the signs and then acknowledge it. To do this, there needs to be an understanding that there is nothing wrong with struggling with your mental health but when you notice it, it is necessary to take the steps necessary for recovery by reaching for the tools that are there to help.

Symptoms can be different for everyone, but generally, it may look like:

Lose of interest in previously enjoyed hobbies or activities.
Disconnecting from friends or family.
Changes in hygeine, sleep, or eating patterns.
Statements of hopelessness or talk of being a burden.
Talking or writing about dying or suicide.

If you know someone who is experiencing difficulties with mental health, don't let them suffer in silence. Here are some things you can do:

Let them know you are there to help. For some people, simply knowing they aren't alone is the first step towards recovery.
Suggest that they reach out to the resources and professionals that are available to get extra help.