More farmers suffering 'massive amounts of anxiety, worry and burnout'

There are also concerns about drug use among a minority of farmers, which can lead to issues including addiction and drug debt

Various aspects converge to create challenges for the mental health of farmers the world over: the loneliness of the work, the intensity of the gruelling daily tasks, the uncertainty of income due to weather and price fluctuations. File photo

Around 15 years ago, Wexford sheep farmer George Graham was in Norway near a town called Vadsø, close to the Russian border.

The father of five and professional sheep shearer goes twice a year to Norway, and in the autumn and winter the daylight dwindles down to just two hours of light a day.