See Change is at the 2011 National Ploughing Championships in Athy to send a message loud and clear that mental health problems are part and parcel of the ups and downs of everyday life.
Research commissioned by See Change on ‘Public Attitudes Towards Mental Health Problems’ identified that the stigma surrounding mental health problems acts as a significant issue for Irish farmers, often preventing people from seeking the help that they need.
Here’s a brief note on the key findings:
• 57% of Irish farmers surveyed would not want others to know if they had a mental health problem.
• 42% of farmers would hide a mental health diagnosis of a mental health problem from friends.
• 45% of farmers would not know what to do to help someone with mental health problems.
• 27% would delay seeking help for fear of someone knowing about it.
See Change is working closely with our partner the IFA to explore ways in which farmers can be supported, stigma can be addressed and open discussion can be encouraged.
You’ll find us at stand no. J257 in the HSA/Farm Safety tent all week at the National Ploughing Championships 2011.
For directions and information on the National Ploughing Championships see: http://www.npa.ie/
