Friday, March 29, 2024

Stress, anxiety trap farmers

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Managing a farm is challenging at the best of times but for West Coast dairy farmer Angela Deans the impact on mental health can be one of the most demanding aspects of the job.
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Deans knows all too well how work-related stress can lead to depression and anxiety.

“When you manage a small business you can’t always take time off, especially in a farming context when you have no one to milk the cows or feed the animals. 

“If you don’t do the work, no one will.

“A lot of people in this industry feel trapped,” she said. 

“They don’t see a way out because they have no plans to take up something else.”

Nearly a third of small and medium business owners experience a mental health condition after starting or taking over their business, new research by accounting software provider MYOB shows.

Of those, 59% experienced depression and 41% were affected by anxiety.

The tech company’s Business Monitor Snapshot survey, which polled more than 400 business owners across the country, also found women have higher levels of mental health issues – 39% compared to 26% of men.

“Owning and managing a small business can be extremely demanding and lonely,” MYOB country manager Ingrid Cronin-Knight said.

“Putting in long hours, skipping meals and cutting back on sleep to get things done can have a significant impact on the body and the mind – leading to greater stress, anxiety and depression.”

And sole traders often do not have anyone to share business and financial concerns with, she said.

It is an issue commonly seen by mental health professionals. 

“The hours of owning or managing a small business often carry over into family or home life, leaving very little space for self-care,” Anxiety NZ Trust psychologist Rachael Chalmers said.

“Some business owners also struggle to separate themselves from their businesses, meaning if their business isn’t doing well, neither are they.

“While stress, anxiety and depression are starting to become more widely discussed among business owners there is certainly room for improvement in supporting individual mental wellbeing.” 

It is an improvement that is desperately needed in the primary sector, Deans said. 

“I’ve had friends leave the industry because of the impact it had on their mental wellbeing.

“The work is tough and a lot of people don’t understand just how physically and mentally demanding it can be.”

A lack of support, the loss of staff and the inability to take extended periods of leave only make things harder on the farm, she said.

“I lost my brother when I was living and working in Southland but I couldn’t take the appropriate amount of time off to process my loss, which is part of the reason why my husband and I moved to Greymouth. We wanted to be closer to family, to our support network.”

Following her brother’s death Deans visited her doctor, who referred her to a counsellor.

“That process helped me to understand my feelings,” she said. 

“However, not everyone is as good at going out and getting the help they need.”

Today Deans is helping others in her rural community to overcome feelings of isolation, anxiety and depression by simply asking if they are doing okay and following up when they need it most.

“It’s okay to ask for help because people will be there for you when you need it.”

In December the Government’s Mental Health Inquiry found one in five New Zealanders experiences mental illness or significant mental distress in their lifetime – costing the economy $12 billion a year.

Cronin-Knight said a significant part of that cost falls on small business owners and mental health should be a health and safety issue for both employees and employers. 

“While employers are responsible for the physical health and safety of themselves and their staff, increasingly mental wellbeing is also seen as a priority in the workplace,” she said. 

“Ensuring you have processes and policies in place for supporting the mental health of you and your staff is hugely important.”

The latest MYOB findings were reinforced by a recent Farmstrong survey.

The study, which close to 900 farmers under 35 took part in, showed wellbeing issues have a big impact on the lives of about 70% of young farmers.

Even more concerning, 66% of those surveyed said poor wellbeing contributed to one of their worst on-farm accidents or injuries in the previous year.

But most young farmers want to invest in ways to improve their mental health, the study showed.

Chalmers said the best place for anyone to start is with a visit to a general practitioner.

“From there you can discuss your challenges and your doctor may suggest a range of services or professionals available to support you on your journey to mental wellbeing.” 

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If you need to talk to someone, the following free helplines operate 24/7:

DEPRESSION HELPLINE: 0800 111 757

LIFELINE: 0800 543 354

NEED TO TALK? Call or text 1737

SAMARITANS: 0800 726 666

YOUTHLINE: 0800 376 633 or text 234

Industry-specific advice and support for depression in the rural community is available at www.depression.org.nz/rural

There are lots of places to get support. For others click here

https://www.mentalhealth.org.nz/get-help/in-crisis/helplines/

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