From helplessness to hope: Unbreakable Farmer shares story

After losing his farm, Mr Davies experienced a dark period in his life and his mental health spiralled out of control.

BREAKING THE STIGMA: Warren Davies is in the South Burnett this week to talk about his mental health battle in order to help others who may be facing similar difficulties. Picture: Contributed

FARMERS are a tough breed, but even tough farmers struggle from time to time.

One such farmer is Warren Davies, also known as the Unbreakable Farmer.

But he hasn't always been so unbreakable.

As a child, Mr Davies struggled with self esteem and anxiety issues, and he experienced a reasonable amount of bullying in secondary school.

"I kind of brushed it under the table a bit," he said.

"I always found it hard fitting in."

Sadly, his mental health challenges reared their ugly head years later when he ran a dairy farm in northern Victoria.

Between devastating floods and an emotional family bust-up, Mr Davies was catapulted back to those days of emotional distress he experienced growing up.

"I got into some really, really dark places," he said.

To make matters worse, the drought hit shortly after which had devastating effects on the farmer as he was forced to walk off the farm.

"I lost my identity," he said.

"I always thought I was going to be Warren, the farmer."

After losing the farm, Mr Davies experienced a dark period in his life and his mental health spiralled out of control.

"I basically got myself into a position where I couldn't see any way out," he said.

"I thought the best thing for my family was if I wasn't around anymore."

But he clawed his way back from that dark place and now lives a full and passionate life.

Known as the Unbreakable Farmer, Mr Davies travels to rural parts of Australia to share his story and inspire other farmers who might be in a similar situation.

"By sharing my story, hopefully that inspires some conversations around mental health," he said.

"Hopefully it removes that stigma.

"You feel like you're the only person going through that stuff."

Thanks to Northern AgriServices, The Unbreakable Farmer is in the South Burnett this week, sharing his story to community and school groups.

He will be at a Farmers and Growers Night tonight at Northern AgriServices in Youngman St, Kingaroy.

He will also speak at a community evening on Tuesday at the Kingaroy State High School from 5.30pm.

For more information, call 4160 0500.

NATIONAL 24/7 CRISIS SERVICES

1. Lifeline: 13 11 14
2. Suicide Call Back Service: 1300 659 467
3. MensLine Australia: 1300 78 99 78
4. beyondblue: 1300 22 46 36
5. Kids Helpline: 1800 55 1800

Originally published as From helplessness to hope: Unbreakable Farmer shares story