The statistics are eye opening and concerning:
- More than 46 million people live in rural America.
- Suicide rates in rural areas are 65% higher than in urban areas.
- Farmers and ranchers are two to four times more likely to die by suicide.
- Rural youth are 54% more likely to die by suicide than urban youth.
- 65% of rural counties have no psychiatrist.
- 30% of rural households lack broadband internet.
- Significant stigma and shame prevent people from seeking help.
“We’ve got to start looking at mental health differently than what we have done for generations, especially in rural areas,” says Jeff Winton a multigenerational dairy farmer from New York. “Our mission is to serve as the informed voice for mental health in rural America and to provide mental health information and resources. We are working to confront mental health challenges in rural communities and the stigma that surrounds mental illness.”
Winton is the founder and chairman of Rural Minds, a national nonprofit organization that was inspired following a family tragedy: the suicide of Winton’s 28-year-old nephew, Brooks, a dairy farmer and father of 3-year-old twins at the time.
The suicide was shocking as Brooks was considered the last person in the Winton family who would consider suicide. Winton describes Brooks as happy and outgoing and showed no apparent warning signs. Brooks had been working on Winton’s dairy farm — Wall Street Dairy LLC in Chautauqua County, N.Y.
“The only reason we knew what he was dealing with is he left a note in the pocket of his jeans when he died for when his kids were old enough to try to understand why their dad felt he needed to leave them,” Winton says.
Winton explains this experience revealed a critical issue in rural communities: the deep-seated stigma surrounding mental health discussions. The Winton family was encouraged by some in the community to hide the cause of death and keep quiet about their experience.
Winton says his mother was determined to break the silence about suicide in their farming community, and thus, his nephew’s funeral became a turning point in their community leading to other farm families opening up and sharing their own hidden stories of death.
Seek Help Without Shame
“It’s OK not to be OK,” Winton says. “Mental illness is a medical condition, not a character flaw. It’s nothing you should be ashamed of.”
Winton says following Brooks’ death, the family found out he was suffering from depression. The suicide occurred 48 hours after his brother’s wedding, thus the attempt seemed to be triggered by his own relationship problems.
“He felt too ashamed to seek help, even from his close-knit family,” Winton explains. He encourages families to discuss mental health history openly, and the need for community support is crucial.
Addressing Key Challenges
Winton says through Rural Minds he wants people to understand that mental health issues are common and treatable, and he encourages neighbors and community members to be supportive and help others who are facing such challenges.
Rural Minds was created to address several key challenges:
- Mental health stigma — Rural communities often view mental health struggles as a weakness, discouraging open conversations about depression, anxiety and suicide.
- Isolation — Rural areas face unique challenges, including geographic isolation, limited mental health resources and transportation difficulties.
- High-risk populations — “Farmers and ranchers are two to four times more likely to die by suicide compared to other occupations. Young people in rural areas are 54% more likely to die by suicide than their urban counterparts,” Winton says.
Winton said he hopes that Rural Minds will help transform how rural communities understand, discuss and address mental health, ultimately reducing suicide rates and provide hope and support to those struggling with mental health issues.
He shares examples of how Rural Minds and his willingness to share his story is helping others — from families who open up about their heartbreaking stories that they have been too ashamed to share previously to receiving a midnight call from someone who was concerned about a neighbor who had gone missing and was worried he was struggling with mental health.
Rural Minds develops and shares educational materials for agricultural communities and partners with health care and agricultural organizations.
Winton says being present, listening and showing you care are the most important ways to support someone struggling with mental health challenges.
Tools to Help
If you are struggling or know someone who is, check out these resources:
- Ruralminds.org
- Extensive free webinar series
- Rural Minds social media channels — Facebook, Instagram, X, YouTube and Linkedin
- The national 988 mental health hotline, available 24 hours a day and seven days a week
Rural Minds aggregates resources, provides education and is breaking down the barriers to mental health support in rural communities. By sharing personal stories, providing resources and reducing stigma, the organization aims to save lives and support the mental well-being of rural Americans.
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