A new report released today has revealed the significant decline of Australian farmers’ mental health over the past few years.
The National Farmer Wellbeing Report, commissioned by Norco and the National Farmers’ Federation, found that almost half of Australian farmers, 45%, have felt depressed, with 64% experiencing anxiety, and 14% experiencing these feelings frequently.
The report also found that 30% of farmers reported a decline in their mental health over the past few years.
Furthermore, nearly half of Australian farmers (45%) had thoughts of self-harm or suicide, with close to one-third attempting suicide or self-harm.
The report highlights that one farmer dies by suicide every ten days, and Australian farmers are twice as likely to take their own life as the general population.
The survey of more than 1,200 farmers found that the top three factors impacting farmer mental health were weather or natural disasters (47%), financial stress (36%), and inflation and cost pressures (35%).
The report indicates that feelings of loneliness or isolation, combined with limited access to mental health services, have had the most significant impact on farmers’ mental health over the past five years, with 27% of farmers citing these as the primary contributors.
The report also found that 88% of Australian farmers have had their farming operation significantly impacted by natural disasters over the past five years, with an average cost of $1.4 million per farm.
The financial burden of the events was cited by 54% of the farmers, followed by the impact on animals and loss of stock (39%), and the physical rebuild and recovery process (37%).
If you, or someone you know are experiencing difficulties please call Lifeline on 13 11 14.
