Hard times are harder on farmers
Farming is a high-stress profession. Urgent daily concerns include volatile commodity prices, processing operations that are prone to disruption, and climate change. On top of all that, farmers are pressed to produce while minimizing their environmental impact. Add in high overhead costs and spiraling expenses for health care, tariffs, and property taxes, and you have the ingredients for a perfect storm of anxiety.
One index of the crisis state among U.S. farmers is provided by a February 2024 report published by the National Institutes of Health’s National Library of Medicine, which said the suicide rate among farmers is three times that found among the general population.
Rates of rural drug abuse provide another measure of the scale of the challenge. According to one Department of Health and Human Services study, per capita opioid overdose rates in rural communities are 45 percent higher than in cities. Rural adults also have higher rates of tobacco and methamphetamine use.
Depression is a common factor in many of these problematic behaviors. One recent survey of farmers in Illinois found that 34 percent of respondents met the criteria for at least mild anxiety disorder, while 26 percent were judged to have at least mild symptoms of depression, compared to 18–19 percent in the general population.
In the face of these discouraging statistics, what can farmers do to preserve their mental health and that of their families?
First, it’s important to remember that depression isn’t just a black mood that will go away if it’s ignored, or a sign of weakness. It’s a medical condition with many variations, and these different manifestations require quite different care. Any treatment plan should be managed by a healthcare professional specializing in the treatment of depressive disorders, in consultation with your primary care physician.
Tips from expert resources
- Be patient. “Get over it” is not an effective strategy with yourself or others who are in the grips of a depressive episode.
- Talk about it. Don’t try to go it alone or just tough it out. Sharing your struggles with friends, family, or a mental health professional can help.
- Remember, burnout makes things worse. Working harder and faster, putting in longer hours, or working extra jobs (as the National Young Farmers Coalition says 75 percent of farmers do) might seem like solutions in the short run, but they can end up taking a heavy emotional toll.
- Try to avoid the shame trap. The belief that asking for help is a sign of weakness or failure is common in farming communities and older generations. But depression isn’t fragility or a character defect. It’s as serious an illness as heart disease or cancer, and it can be just as life-threatening.
- Self-medication is not the answer. A 2021 survey from Michigan State University reported that 74 percent of farmers reported being directly affected by opioid misuse, addiction, or overdose, either personally or within their families. Using drugs or alcohol to blunt depression’s pain may only cause a downward spiral.
Know the signs
While depression presents differently in everyone, here are some common signs:
- Irritability
- Fatigue
- Emotional outbursts
- Lack of interest in activities or work
- Expressions or feelings of worthlessness
- Nausea
- Muscle cramps
- Substance abuse
- Clammy skin
- Problems sleeping
- Dramatic changes in weight or appetite
Mental health resources
Sources: Centers for Disease Control (CDC); nami.org; National Center for Biotechnology Information at the National Library of Medicine; The National Council on Family Relations; USDA National Agricultural Library; americanaddictioncenters.org; dea.gov
The information included here was obtained from sources believed to be reliable, however Grinnell Mutual Reinsurance Company, SI, and its employees make no guarantee of results and assume no liability in connection with any training, materials, suggestions, or information provided. It is the user’s responsibility to confirm compliance with any applicable local, state, or federal regulations. Information obtained from or via Grinnell Mutual Reinsurance Company, SI, should not be used as the basis for legal advice and should be confirmed with alternative sources.
2/2025