The World Is On Fire, So Are We

Authored by: Maya Gowda

Art by: Caitlin Sweeney

Our eyes can mislead us—we often view climate change as a global phenomenon affecting Earth’s biodiversity, but little is known about how climate change affects our mental health. Marginalized communities and outdoor workers face the brunt of climate change— farmers consistently experience stress due to the impacts of climate change on their physical health and agricultural productivity [1]. Climate change is one of the greatest stressors impacting farmers [2]. As they often spend a significant amount of time outside, farmers form a strong relationship with nature, resulting in physiological stress due to the detrimental effects on nature caused by climate change [1]. A few of these detrimental effects include low crop yield and extreme weather events, which both affect farmers financially. The lack of financial stability promotes additional stress, resulting in high levels of anxiety or depression [3]. Physical impacts of climate change, such as neurological problems or even cancer, can lead to further stress on a farmer’s mental health [3]. Unfortunately, the relationship between climate change and poor mental health is prevalent in many farming communities across the globe. 

Improving the physical and mental health of farmers can help them as they carry out important agricultural tasks [4]. The U.S. agricultural industry is critical for economic growth and financial stability among farmers. In order to tend to their healthcare needs, farmers must gain access to imperative healthcare resources. Unfortunately, many farmers live in rural areas, making it difficult to access healthcare resources [4]. Extreme weather events such as hurricanes and flooding may add additional challenges when trying to travel to healthcare centers. 

In addition to physical health, farmers often have a challenging time taking care of their mental health. A contributing factor to this is the negative stigma surrounding mental health in the U.S. [4]. This stigma can make it challenging for family and friends to help those suffering from mental health issues [4]. Poor mental health amongst farmers is becoming more prevalent in the U.S. According to the 2025 Mind Your Melon Farmer Wellbeing Survey, over half of the farmers surveyed have experienced feelings of sadness or anxiety [5]. The survey explains how farmers in Florida are challenged with unreliable weather patterns, financial instability, and lack of governmental resources [5]. Specifically, Latino and Hispanic migrant farmers are disproportionately impacted by climate change in Florida and pre-existing social inequalities challenging farmers [6]. Often, some individuals may not even realize they are suffering from mental health issues due to a lack of education about the topic. During the past few years in the U.S., some farmers have turned to using substances to cope with their struggles with mental health [5]. However, consistent use of toxic substances can lead to substance abuse addictions, which can worsen mental and physical health [5]. A potential solution could be for U.S. hospitals with substantial financial support to use mobile clinics to provide healthcare resources to farmers and other families residing in rural areas [7]. Expanding mobile clinic services may assist farmers who struggle to travel to healthcare centers due to extreme weather events or physical impairments. 

Several countries in Asia and the Western Pacific region have many farming communities that struggle with mental health, further indicating that mental health struggles should be of global concern. India is a prime example of an agrarian country where the agricultural industry is critical for economic growth [8]. More than 50% of India’s employed sector works in the agricultural industry, demonstrating how important this sector is for India [8]. The Indian agricultural industry is negatively impacted by climate change due to extreme weather events such as long droughts and excessive flooding. Many studies regarding the mental health of farmers in India support the need for proper environmental conditions to help stabilize mental health [7]. Farmer suicide in India has been rampant for many years – according to a 2021 study, “Nearly 400,000 farmers committed suicide in India between 1995 and 2018. This translated into approximately 48 suicides every day” (Kannuri et al., 2021) [9]. Additionally, farmers in the Philippines and Vietnam found a correlation between typhoons and higher levels of “depression, acute stress, and PTSD symptoms” [10]. Although the countries mentioned are in a similar part of the globe, each country needs a respective plan to effectively mitigate physical and mental health issues in these countries [10]. 

To truly understand the climate crisis, one must learn why and how agricultural workers across the world are disproportionately impacted by the climate crisis. Agricultural workers are affected by multiple issues, such as financial stability and their personal health – issues exacerbated by climate change. Regardless of geographical location, everyone is dependent on the agricultural industry for food security and global economic growth, which is why we need to protect our agricultural workers. People can advocate for protection through education, policy, protests, and journalism – now is the perfect time to start. 

Resources

1. Addressing Climate Emotions as Part of Farmer Mental Health. American Farmland Trust. https://farmland.org/blog/addressing-climate-emotions-as-part-of-farmer-mental-health (accessed 2025-10-08).

2. Daghagh Yazd, S., Wheeler, S. A., & Zuo, A. (2019). Key Risk Factors Affecting Farmers’ Mental Health: A Systematic Review. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 16(23), 4849. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph16234849

3. UK: Farmers experiencing anxiety and depression from drought and flood | PreventionWeb. https://www.preventionweb.net/news/majority-farmers-report-feelings-anxiety-and-depression-face-drought-and-flooding (accessed 2025-10-08).

4. Rural Response to Farmer Mental Health and Suicide Prevention Overview - Rural Health Information Hub. https://www.ruralhealthinfo.org/topics/farmer-mental-health (accessed 2025-10-13).

5. First-Ever Statewide Report on Farmer Mental Health Released. (n.d.). Florida Farm Bureau. Retrieved November 16, 2025, from https://floridafarmbureau.org/news/first-ever-statewide-report-on-farmer-mental-health-released/

6. Mental Health Among Farmworkers in the Eastern United States | SpringerLink. (n.d.). Retrieved November 16, 2025, from

   https://doi.org/10.1007/978-0-387-88347-2_7

7. Rudolphi, J. M.; Berg, R. L. Mental Health of Agricultural Adolescents and Adults: Preliminary Results of a Five-Year Study. Front Public Health 2023, 11, 1056487. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpubh.2023.1056487.

8. Saju, S.; Reddy, S. K.; Bijjal, S.; Annapally, S. R. Farmer’s Mental Health and Well-Being: Qualitative Findings on Protective Factors. J Neurosci Rural Pract 2024, 15 (2), 307–312. https://doi.org/10.25259/JNRP_403_2023.

9. Kannuri, N. K., & Jadhav, S. (2021). Cultivating distress: Cotton, caste and farmer suicides in India. Anthropology & Medicine, 28(4), 558–575. https://doi.org/10.1080/13648470.2021.1993630

10. The influence of climate change on mental health in populations of the western Pacific region: An umbrella scoping review - ScienceDirect. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2405844023086656 (accessed 2025-10-13).