WITH crops disappearing under floodwater and planting windows closing, some farmers would be forgiven for thinking things look desperate.
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But as someone who has watched helplessly as floodwater went everywhere on his farm near Barmedman, doing a lot of damage in the process, fifth generation farmer John Minogue has reminded fellow farmers they are never alone.
The reminder comes as Australian Bureau of Statistics figures showed that suicide nationally was at a decade high, with eight people a day taking their own lives and men taking their lives at a rate three times that of women.
“Like others in agriculture, we know the challenges and how much seasons like this test rural communities, so my message to growers is ‘you are not alone’,” said Mr Minogue who is also chairman of the Grains Research and Development Corporation. “We’re all in this together, so if you need help please ask.”
As someone who deals often with people on the verge of suicide, Val Woodland from the Griffith Suicide Prevention and Support group knows the importance of asking for help.
“In the last 40 years suicide rates have increased in country areas ten-fold,” she said.
“I think it is difficult for country people to ask for help, perhaps in the city you are more anonymous, either way it is worrying.
“Men especially find it hard to be vulnerable.”
Ms Woodland said there were two big myths when it came to suicide that needed to be addressed to raise awareness and remove the stigma associated with feeling suicidal.
“The first is that suicidal people are selfish and that is not true, they are in deep pain and they see it as a way of getting rid of the pain,” she said. “The second is if you talk about suicide it will make them act on it and that is a total myth. Talking is their last hope - they’re being totally raw and honest with you and you need to meet them there.”
Ms Woodland said while there were services available to help people there needed to be more done to educate young people that it was okay to ask for help.
“It needs to happen from a young age, and for them to know they can ask for help from more than one person, it is okay to ask five people.”
Anyone who feels they need support can call the Griffith Suicide Prevention Support Group’s 24 hour crisis line on 1300 133 911 or Lifeline on 13 11 14.
