"I thought about taking my own life": Ex-farmer from Cornwall on mental health crisis
28-year-old James Hosking from Launceston has spoken out during our #BehindTheMask campaign, to help end the stigma
Last updated 25th Feb 2021
A former dairy farmer from Launceston has revealed he suffered a mental health crisis that left him feeling so low, he thought about taking his own life.
James Hosking started working on his family's farm when he was just 12-years-old, but they were forced to sell their cows.
The 28-year-old tried moving away and returning to work on another farm.
He had to leave the industry after being diagnosed with diabetes.
A recent study has found poor mental health is a hidden problem in the farming community.
Now James has spoken to us during our #BehindTheMask campaign, looking at how people are coping during lockdown.
A recent survey from the Office for National Statistics found that almost one in five adults were likely to be experiencing some form of depression, compared to one in ten before the pandemic.
We are asking people to support #BehindTheMask by posting or sharing a video online, just like James.
James' Story
James Hosking is 28-years-old and lives in Cornwall. James started working on his family's dairy farm from the age of 12. After a few family bereavements, the farm started to struggle. Another family illness meant than James and his father had to rotate days working on the farm.
James starting skipping college to work long labouring days on the farm. With the dairy industry in decline, money was tight and without enough profit, James' family had to downscale and sell their dairy production to ensure stability.
As college came to a close, James got a job as a restaurant manager but still spent time socializing at Young Farmers Club. He felt as though he was constantly being judged for being a 'failed dairy farmer'; his mood became so low he contemplated taking his own life.
After trying moving away from home and returning to work at another dairy farm, James took part in "#AgriChat", a discussion about mental health on Twitter. This was just the start of James' sharing his story to help others.
A type 1 diabetes diagnosis in September 2019 meant James had to make the difficult decision to move away from farming.
He now works as a Dairy Sales Specialist and is living happily in Launceston with his fiancée.
"I went through a very tough time with my mental health. It made me feel quite lonely, like I'd disappointed and failed as a farmer. It made me quite paranoid what my friends and colleagues within the farming industry would think of me".
Speaking about family bereavements, James said life was tough: "Whenever something like that had come up I'd always dealt with it by going to work because the cows always needed milking and they were part of the family as well.
"Unfortunately when we sold them, I realised I didn't have that coping mechanism there any more".
Former dairy farmer, James Hosking
James is also supporting the the Farm Safety Foundation's Mind Your Head campaign, looking at the issues facing farmers today.
This year the campaign, symbolised with a pair of yellow wellies, will focus on prevention and the early identification of the risk factors associated with those living and working in farming.
A recent study it conducted into 450 farmers under the age of 40 found that mental health issues among farmers and agricultural workers are of growing concern, and have a direct impact on safety on the farm.
88% of young farmers now rate poor mental health as the biggest hidden problem faced by farmers today, up from 82% in 2018.
Meanwhile, 89% of young farmers believe that talking about mental health in farming will remove any stigma attached to it - an increase of 9% in the past two years.
Stephanie Berkeley, Manager of the Farm Safety Foundation said: "Humans are social animals. We not only enjoy each other's company, we thrive on it. Digital solutions have tremendous value but we mustn't underestimate the value of talking through our problems. It sounds non-technical, and therefore old-fashioned, but getting farmers to open up is the very first step to building a holistic approach to mental health in the industry.
"It is so important to encourage a culture within agriculture that explicitly recognises how the job can, and does, impact on the wellbeing of everyone living and working in it and how poor mental health can have a direct and deadly impact on the job.
"Given the year we have just experienced, making sure we are all looking after our physical and mental wellbeing has never been more relevant".
The Farm Safety Foundation has shared the stories of some incredible people who have lost loved ones to suicide, made difficult career and life choices and hear stories of hope, resilience and the light at the end of that dark tunnel.
Stephanie added: "This is a huge concern and one that we need to keep talking about.
"In the last 12 months, calls to farming charities have increased so we need to be concerned about the numbers of people in our industry feeling high levels of distress and we need to keep pushing to ensure people know that help is available and encourage them to ask for it. This is your industry, your future and your responsibility to it's time to speak up, speak out and mind your head".
Stephanie Berkeley, Farm Safety Foundation
If you or someone you know needs help, please contact Farming Help free on 03000 111999 or visit the farming help website to learn more.
You can find a raft of other support groups through our #BehindTheMask campaign here.