A study from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention showed that farmers are more likely to die by suicide than any other occupation. Depression and anxiety often go undiagnosed in the farm community until it is too late. That’s because farmers often view needing help as a sign of weakness, so we internalize the stress until our bodies become like pressure cookers about to explode. The truth is mental wellness is something that inflicts most Americans at some point in our lives, with one in four adults suffering from a diagnoseable mental health disorder in any given year. Sometimes all it takes to help is reminding someone you care about that it is okay to NOT be okay and to ask for help.
Over the past year, the Center has been working with Monica McConkey, a Rural Mental Health Specialist at Eyes on the Horizon Consulting, to share articles that offer helpful tips and suggestions for dealing with farm stress. To read a few of her columns, click here.
Find Helpful Tips in Monica’s Articles
View List of Mental Health Hotlines & Resources
Save one or all of these numbers directly into your phone. You may never need them, but then they are readily accessible if you do.
- AgriStress Helpline: Call 833-897-2474. This hotline is available 24/7.
- National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: Dial 988 (effective July 2022) or 800-273-8255. Or text GO to 741741 for those in need of emotional support day or night.
- Rural Response Hotline: Call 800-464-0258 Monday to Friday (8am – 5pm). Free personal counseling and financial/legal services are available.
- Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA): Call 800-662-4357.
County Crisis Prevention Centers: If you have an immediate concern related to your own health or the well-being of a loved one, your local county crisis prevention center is available to help. Click here to access the hotlines for each of those county centers
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