BOOL Lagoon dairyfarmer Andrew Cavill wants men to get better at talking to each other and help address alarming rates of rural suicide.
An innovative Men's Watch program will be held at three towns on the Limestone Coast to arm men with these skills.
Mr Cavill says depression can affect anyone, but farmers are particularly at risk from their long working hours and isolation on-farm.
"We have developed strategies for every other situation. If it is too dry, we turn the irrigation on, if it is too wet we do something else, or if the cows aren't cycling we do something else again – but we have no strategy for coping if we are feeling depressed," he said.
"A lot of people have been suffering depression, especially in dairying with the state of the industry during the past few years."
"It is the extreme sport in agriculture – it is a relentless, seven days a week job, 365 days a year – and with early mornings there is less opportunity for farmers to get out at night."
Using the unique setting of an all-male group, the program engages men in learning and gaining confidence in supporting men with personal issues, relationship difficulties, mental health problems separation and grief.
The group sessions will be delivered by facilitators from the Australian Institute of Male Health & Studies over three evenings at Mount Gambier, Millicent and Naracoorte.
Mr Cavill – a passionate advocate for men's mental health – was among a group of community leaders who recognised the need to hold the non-government funded program in the SE after success in the Mid North, Murraylands and Eyre Peninsula.
More than 1800 men from across SA have participated in the program, which started last year.
Figures show there have been 38 suicides on the Limestone Coast during the past five years – the overwhelming majority were men.
And while mental illness is only one contributor to suicide, it is a major one.
"Men by their nature are unlikely to seek professional help from a doctor, but they may be willing to talk to their mates about it," he said.
Mr Cavill said it was unacceptable that suicide claimed more lives each year than the national road toll where billions of dollars had been spent on road safety awareness programs.
"We are happy to complain about any health problems from the neck down, but not the neck up," he said
* Full report in Stock Journal, September 18, 2014 issue.
Catherine Miller
Stock Journal's livestock editor and South East correspondent.
Stock Journal's livestock editor and South East correspondent.
