Canadian farmers are suffering more and more stress due to climatic hazards, grain diseases and even distant wars. Unfortunately, many must endure anxiety in silence due to the stigma that still accompanies mental illness today, experts lament.
According to a study by Andria Jones, a professor at the college of veterinary medicine at the University of Guelph, in Ontario, one in four farmers admit to having had suicidal thoughts in the past 12 months. Twice as many farmers have considered suicide than the general population.
The PD Jones points out that 75% of farmers suffered from moderate or high stress. The phenomenon has increased due to climate change.
“And unfortunately, mental health issues were often seen as a weakness in. In some circles, this is still the case,” she adds.
The journal Rural and Remote Health published a study in August analyzing surveys in India, Canada, the United States and the United Kingdom and identifying seven causes contributing to the problem of suicide among farmers. Its main author, Rebecca Purc-Stephenson, a psychology professor at the University of Alberta, lists some of these factors: financial crisis, isolation, access to toxic pesticides and a gun, unpredictable environment.
“Why has the work of farmers become even more stressful? asks the PD Purc-Stephenson. We discovered that this is linked to current culture and lifestyle. Being a farmer isn’t like a normal job where you can go home at 5 p.m. and not think about it. It’s a lifestyle. It’s a calling. Your work is your life. Your life is your work. »
A majority of farmers feel the need to remain strong, stoic and autonomous in the face of adversity. This can prevent them from seeking help when needed. Although farmers appreciate the sense of community in a rural area, often this comes with a series of problems.
“They don’t like to show signs of weakness,” emphasizes P.D Purc-Stephenson. They will not go to the local surgery for fear that their vehicle will be seen parked there. »
In 2019, a report from the House of Commons Standing Committee on Agriculture and Agri-Food outlined measures taken across the country to help farmers suffering from mental health issues.
The support provided could take various forms, including telephone crisis lines, consultations with mental health professionals or the agricultural sector, funding from the federal government or agricultural producer organizations.
“However, these initiatives are insufficient. Accessibility to mental health care is still limited in rural areas, health professionals still have little knowledge of the specificities of the agricultural environment and current efforts targeting farmers are not concerted across the country. – we read in this report.
Christi Friesen, a farmer from Peace River, Alberta, remembers the three snowstorms that hit her area in October 2015, each time covering her field in a blanket of white and preventing her from starting the harvest.
“I sat in bed and cried, holding my head,” she remembers. I cried and cried and cried. What a terrible year! »
She says she was lucky because her doctor came to see her to make sure the necessary remedies were working.
Mme Friesen admits to having felt “a slight worry” when going to buy the drugs. She didn’t even go to her own pharmacy. However, when she realized the pills were helping her, she started going there.
“I was able to get through it. This slight sign of confidence from my doctor helped me get through it. »
The PD Purc-Stephenson notes, however, that it is in the public interest to ensure that farmers get all the help they need since population growth increases demand for food.
“Addressing the problem of mental health is one way to ensure a sustainable future for the agricultural sector. »