Time for farmers to talk about suicide

Terry Copeland, chief executive of New Zealand Young Farmers.

The chief executive of New Zealand Young Farmers is urging rural communities to be transparent about suicide following the recent sudden death of one of the organisation's members.

Terry Copeland said the young man was an outgoing father of two who had participated in most of his local Young Farmer club activities. His suicide had devastated members who knew him, he said.

"We had another member attempt to take their life in the same week so it says to me that we're not talking enough about mental health in our communities - particularly among rural youth."

Having lost his sister to suicide in May this year, Mr Copeland wants New Zealand Young Farmers to front foot the issue and bring it out in the open.

"I personally know the pain and devastation for families who have lost loved ones in this way and want us to facilitate discussions that centre around how we talk to someone we might suspect is going through a rough patch. It can be a difficult subject to raise but people need to know it's okay to ask someone how they are feeling."

He applauded the DairyNZ-led Good Yarn Workshops for giving people the tools to have that conversation and said NZ Young Farmers hoped to have trained facilitators delivering the same workshops soon.

"The message must be that we can't ignore the issue because that hasn't worked. Not talking about it only serves to strengthen an already stigmatised topic. We've got to acknowledge we have a problem we don't like talking about because until we do we will not move forward."

Wairarapa MP Alastair Scott told a meeting in Dannevirke this week New Zealand has one of the highest suicide rates across the planet.

"We need to talk and make contact with people and support groups," he said.

"I had a mate who killed himself a few months ago and a friend checked in with me to make sure I was okay. Check in with your mates, make sure they are okay and keep an eye on each other."

Mr Copeland said he was particularly concerned about young members in the dairy industry and those who have suffered two years of drought in North Canterbury.

"It's important that we keep an eye on those we know might be coping with stressful situations. NZ Young Farmers work in a variety of careers. Some might be bankers on the frontline.

Others may be vets saving valuable farm animals every day. There are any number of professionals under immense pressure at the moment and we need to be conscious that they are under a lot of strain."

"We know many of our young people will struggle with depression at some stage of their lives as mental illness doesn't discriminate by age, gender or ethnicity.

It can touch any community at any time. But how we talk about it and how we choose to face the issue can change that struggle and enable New Zealand to make inroads into our dreadful suicide statistics."

Where to get help:

• Lifeline - 0800 543 354
• Suicide Crisis Helpline (open 24/7) - 0508 828 865 (0508 TAUTOKO)
• Depression Helpline - 0800 111 757
• Samaritans - 0800 726 666
• Youthline (open 24/7) - 0800 376 633. Text 234 for free between 8am and midnight, or email talk@youthline.co.nz.
• 0800 WHATSUP (0800 9428 787), open between 1pm and 10pm on weekdays and from 3pm to 10pm on weekends. Online chat is available from 7pm to 10pm every day at www.whatsup.co.nz.
• Healthline - 0800 611 116