“It’s not weak to speak”: Suffolk farmer opens up about mental health struggles
They're saying long hours, uncertainty around the future, and with ongoing financial pressures, is contributing to isolation
A young farmer from Stowmarket has spoken candidly about the mental health challenges facing people in agriculture, warning that loneliness, financial pressure and long hours are putting lives at risk.
Spencer Campbell, 20, works as a self-employed farm hand. He says the community has been rocked after several suicides among farmers this summer, including some he knew personally.
“I knew five of them,” Spencer said. “Three I knew personally, and the rest I’d heard about through friends. It’s been really tough. Locally, farmers are meeting up more than usual, just trying to socialise and take time away from the farm.”
He says the pressures of the harvest season, combined with rising costs and poor returns, are pushing many to the breaking point.
“Especially the small farms have had such a tough year financially,” he explained. “They were hoping to break even, and many haven’t. That’s the biggest problem. And during harvest, a lot of farmers aren’t socialising as much as they normally would. It’s got a bit lonely really.”
He says the culture in farming has often made it harder for people to open up, but conversations are improving.
“Over the last few years, it is getting an awful lot better. We’re all talking more than we would’ve done, which is a huge improvement. But no matter how many times you’re sat in a pub with 20 farmers, you can still feel alone. There might be other issues affecting the individual, too.”
"Is it all worth it?"
Spencer describes the immense pressure farmers feel, often working every day of their lives in the hope of passing land to the next generation, only to face uncertainty.
“One of the farms I help on, the owner’s in his 80s. He’s farmed the same land all his life, and now he’s wondering, was it all worth it? Missing out on family events, children growing up, and now with inheritance tax, I know farmers who’ve said their farm is better off if they die tomorrow. Some who are even terminally ill have stopped taking medication in the hope they pass before the budget comes in. It’s an awful thing.”
Getting help
For his own wellbeing, Spencer recently started taking antidepressants.
“I was struggling with my health and feeling lonely. I realised I’d been working virtually every day this year with very little time off. As much as I love farming, there comes a time you have to take a break. I bought myself a small tractor, it sounds daft, but I just go for a drive to clear my head.”
He also credits farming chaplain Graham Miles as a vital source of support:
“I’ve spoken to Graham several times. He’s incredible, always at farm events, always at the pub, always checking in. Recently, he’s been messaging me every day ‘morning Spencer, just wanted to check in, how are you?’ That means a lot.”
Spencer’s message to other farmers is simple: talk.
“It’s not weak to speak. If someone says to you, ‘come down the pub,’ and you think, ‘I can’t, I’ve got hedges to cut,’ you can spare two or three hours. Take time away from the farm and go relax.”
He believes more needs to be done to ensure farmers get the right kind of help.
“It’s very hard to talk to a professional about problems when they don’t understand farming. If I say my crops only yielded five tonnes a hectare, they wouldn’t have a clue what I mean. And telling me to just leave farming isn’t an option. That’s why trained professionals who understand the industry are essential. The charities supporting that are amazing.”
And he wants others to know there’s no shame in asking for help.
“When I picked up my antidepressants, I thought – you do get a sense of perhaps feeling like you’ve failed as a man. But that’s not the case at all. You’re no weaker for taking them. Just do your best and keep going.”