A Hidden Struggle in Our Community

The emotional cost of farming in the Cotswolds by Triss Adams

We live and work in a farming-rich community. 87% of the Cotswolds National Landscape is agricultural land (Cotswolds National Landscape Board, 2025), and in Gloucestershire alone, 7,419 people are directly employed in agriculture (Cotswold District Council, 2025). Yet this significant financial contribution to the local and national economy comes at a large emotional cost to individuals, couples and families in this sector.

The Pressures Facing Farming Communities

The statistics are shocking and are becoming increasingly difficult to ignore. Research carried out by the Farm Safety Foundation in 2025, which surveyed 765 farmers, found that wellbeing across the farming community was lower than that of the wider UK population. Perhaps more worrying is that this isn't something affecting just one generation. Younger farmers, aged 18 to 40, experienced a decline in wellbeing between 2021 and 2024, with only a small improvement in 2025. Meanwhile, those over 40, whose wellbeing had remained relatively stable, also experienced a decline in 2025 (Haves, 2026).

The scale of mental health difficulties within farming communities becomes clearer when we look at research carried out by the Royal Agricultural Benevolent Institution (RABI). Their 2021 Big Farming Survey, which gathered responses from more than 15,000 people involved in agriculture, found that 36% of respondents showed signs of possible or probable depression, while 58% of women reported experiencing some degree of anxiety. The research highlighted pressures that farming families experience, with respondents identifying stress coming from government regulations, unpredictable weather, financial uncertainty and concerns about the future of farming. Physical health was another considerable issue, with 52% experiencing pain or discomfort, a quarter reporting mobility problems and 21% finding everyday activities difficult because of their health (Royal Agricultural Benevolent Institution, 2021).

Understanding Loneliness in Farming

A large proportion of people in farming and agricultural communities experience loneliness. This can manifest in three distinct ways:

Social loneliness – a lack of connection with others, both in and out of the community. People often feel marginalised or bored, and simply do not have the time to engage in leisure or social activities due to excessive time constraints.

Emotional loneliness – where there is a lack of meaningful or intimate relationships. Spending large periods of time working in solitude or with very few people makes it difficult to develop or maintain these types of relationship.

Cultural loneliness – where people feel they struggle to connect with mainstream society. There is a strong culture within the farming community, but people express difficulty connecting with those outside of it and forming lasting friendships.

Loneliness within farming communities is far more complex than simply spending long hours working alone. The blurred boundaries between family and working life, and expectations to remain strong and self-reliant can make it difficult to maintain close relationships or seek support. Perhaps most significantly, research demonstrated how someone can be surrounded by family, or even be in a seemingly happy relationship, and still experience profound feelings of loneliness (Wheeler et al., 2023).

The Importance of Feeling Heard and Valued

In a survey of 2,000 women in the farming community, 36% reported low mental wellbeing, while 60% experienced loneliness at least some of the time. The research also found that women who felt valued, emotionally supported and included in decisions about the farm tended to experience better mental wellbeing, less stress and lower levels of loneliness. Perhaps most importantly, the findings highlight just how significant feeling heard, appreciated and involved can be, particularly within farming families where the boundaries between work, home and relationships are often difficult to separate (Case, 2026).

In writing this journal, I have looked in some depth at the research into mental health and wellbeing in the farming community. I do not claim to come from this community, however, I have experience in supporting those who are in it. It is part of our human experience to feel valued, heard and to have autonomy over our lives. I hear people expressing the pain that comes with the uncertainty of the industry they work in, feelings of failure or the stress associated with not being able to support themselves or their families. With loneliness also comes the lack of human connection – not having a network of people to talk to and feel supported by is a key factor in poorer mental health.

In my experience of working in mental health and counselling, I have found that there are challenges in accessing this community. Being able to reach people working within agriculture has been difficult. Often, effective support is confined to big cities or available only during working hours. People may need to commit to a certain day or time, and practitioners may not live in these communities. Our practice has always been aware of these pressures on the local community and that is why we try to offer support seven days a week, in the morning, afternoon and evening. We know how difficult it is and we try to take the stress out of accessing support.

When the Pressures of Farming Affect Our Relationships

The issues that the local farming community faces go beyond what you feel inside. The strain, anxiety and exhaustion that many people feel can make it extremely difficult to connect with partners, families and friends. When we are struggling, it becomes really hard to be emotionally available to others. Over the long term, this can lead to relationship breakdowns, increasing the isolation and loneliness that the person was feeling in the first place. This can be especially hard on family-run farms. I have worked with clients who are physically present with their partner every day, yet are unable to connect and feel like strangers to one another. Feeling misunderstood and disconnected, if left to continue, can turn into resentment and conflict.

Resilience, Identity and the Experience of Shame

Farming relies on a person being self-motivated and resilient. Battling the elements, dealing with constant legislative changes and managing financial uncertainty require someone who can quickly bounce back from challenges. This becomes increasingly difficult when anxiety leaves someone with a sense of dread that something awful is about to happen. When we are disconnected from ourselves and others, asking for help becomes tough, isolation can grow and our sense of autonomy and choice in our lives can be reduced. This is the point where someone can feel depressed, alone and helpless.

When we feel depressed and isolated, shame can begin to build and we feel like a let-down to our family and our community. This can be one of the hardest feelings a human can feel. People may feel the weight of expectations on them, and while they may appear to be coping to the outside world, inside things can become harder and harder.

Recognising the Positives and Finding a Way Forward

Of course, farming is not simply about the pressures and challenges that people face. For many, it is much more than a job. It is a way of life, something that brings enormous pride and belonging. Farming can also provide a strong sense of family identity, with knowledge and traditions passed down through the generations. The connection to the countryside contributes to a sense of meaning and fulfilment. I think it is important that we recognise these positive experiences alongside the difficulties, because the very things that make farming so rewarding are sometimes the things that make its challenges particularly difficult to navigate. This can make downturns in mental health confusing.

I feel we must recognise that the people who work so hard to sustain our rural communities also need opportunities to look after themselves. Factoring self-care into a busy and ever-changing life can be difficult. Farming can bring enormous satisfaction, pride and purpose, but this doesn't make someone immune to anxiety, loneliness or the difficulties that can arise in relationships.

Asking for help is not always easy, particularly when we have spent much of our lives being the person that others depend upon. Yet we all need to feel understood, valued and supported, regardless of the work we do or the responsibilities we carry. Maybe this article speaks to you, or maybe you know someone that you suspect it might. Part of a community is about being available to others, especially in hard times.

Sometimes, taking that first step can be as simple as having an honest conversation with someone we trust. For others, counselling may provide an opportunity to explore feelings that have been difficult to express elsewhere, or a space to start practising what it is like to hear some of those feelings out loud and share them with another. Whatever that first step looks like, I believe that looking after our emotional wellbeing is just as important as looking after the land, our livelihoods and the people around us. It is human to struggle, and sometimes it's especially hard to be human.

References

Case, P. (2026) 'Survey links women farmers’ decision-making power to wellbeing'. Farmers Weekly, 19 January. Available at: https://www.fwi.co.uk/farm-life/survey-links-women-farmers-decision-making-power-to-wellbeing (Accessed: 24 October 2026).

Cotswold District Council (2025) 'Farmers Motion'. Council meeting, 19 March. Available at: https://meetings.cotswold.gov.uk/mgAi.aspx?ID=5415 (Accessed: 25 October 2026).

Cotswolds National Landscape Board (2025). Cotswolds National Landscape Management Plan 2025–2030. p. 58. Available at: https://www.cotswolds-nl.org.uk/wp/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/CNL-MANAGEMENT-PLAN_2025-30-FINAL.pdf (Accessed: 24 October 2026).

Haves, E. (2026) 'Mental health of agricultural workers'. House of Lords Library, 14 September. Available at: https://lordslibrary.parliament.uk/mental-health-of-agricultural-workers/ (Accessed: 24 October 2026).

Royal Agricultural Benevolent Institution (RABI) (2021) The Big Farming Survey. Available at: https://rabi.org.uk/about/big-farming-survey/ (Accessed: 24 October 2026).

Wheeler, R., Lobley, M., McCann, J. and Phillimore, A. (2023) 'It's a lonely old world': Developing a multidimensional understanding of loneliness in farming. Sociologia Ruralis, 63(S1), pp. 11–36. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1111/soru.12399 (Accessed: 24 October 2026).