Victoria floods: The mental health toll on farmers
Country people may be resilient and tough, but the mental health toll of recent flooding is a real and urgent issue for farmers.
Recent extreme wet weather events in the wake of a forecast for a dry summer has placed strain on the mental health of many living in remote and regional Victoria, with a rise in the number of people seeking mental health support.
Beyond Blue director and Corowa-based farmer Derek Schoen said heavy rainfall and flooding in some parts of the country had compounded stress already felt in the wake of input pressures and poor market prices.
“It’s especially frustrating, and it drives the fact home further when you walk into the supermarket, and you see that the price of meat has not dropped, yet your farmgate price has in some cases halved,” Mr Schoen said.
The announcement last year of an El Nino forecast for the summer, Mr Schoen said, further compounded stress for many producers across the country.
“ … producers started to put in action plans, thinking they had to accommodate those sort of weather conditions,” Mr Schoen said.
“That started a bit of a ramp on mental health, then we had the continual rain, and a lot of these people sold stock to reduce the burden on their resources and properties.”
Mind Australia community mental health practitioner Nathan Senn has been working with the regional-based support service since July last year, and covers an area from Gisborne up to Swan Hill.
In recent weeks, he’s been deployed to flood-affected Rochester, and said he’s noticed an increase in engagement with mental health services.
“We’ve seen a lot more people coming through the doors, reaching out for support,” Mr Senn said.
“The biggest (issue) is displacement … from your routine and family and everyday life. The emotional stress this time around, this unseasonable rain has been heavy and damaging … people are wondering if (flooding) could happen again.”
Mr Senn said one of the key signs for people to seek help was feeling a sense of being overwhelmed.
“The uncertainty adds stress,” Mr Senn said.
“There’s a hyper-vigilance around rain, and what could come next. There’s uncertainty for the future.”
Mr Senn said there was still some resistance from members of the community, particularly men and those in the agriculture industry, to seek help when they needed it.
Both Mr Senn and Mr Schoen recommended individuals seek help as soon as possible, particularly if feeling overwhelmed by recent events.
WHERE TO GO FOR HELP
– Mind Australia Mental Health and Wellbeing Locals at Bendigo, Echuca, Shepparton, Benalla, Wangaratta and Mansfield: face-to-face and telehealth services
– Free telehealth support at Rural Health Connect (ruralhealthconnect.com.au) and Partners in Wellbeing (1300 375 330)
– Loddon Mallee Mental Health and Wellbeing Connect on 1800 979 730: for family members and supporters of people with mental ill-health in the Campaspe, Greater Bendigo, Loddon and Macedon Ranges shires
– Rochester Recovery Hub, 48 Mackay Street, Rochester between 9.30am and 2pm
– Beyond Blue: 1300 224 636
– Lifeline: 13 11 14
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