Economic and family problems as well as overwork are increasingly leading winegrowers into a downward spiral leading to burnout - or suicide. Kristine Bäder reports on how psychological crisis hotlines can help quickly and anonymously.
"It's not the grapes or the vines that overwhelm the winegrowers, it's everything that goes with it," says Sascha Müller. The pastor works in the agricultural family counselling service of the churches in Kaiserslautern and - together with a colleague - advises winegrowers and farmers in emotionally challenging situations. He is increasingly finding that it is above all the excessive bureaucracy, the constant new requirements and regulations that are getting to his counsellors. If this is compounded by a lack of turnover, insufficient staff or family difficulties, the limits are reached at some point. For those affected, a downward spiral begins that often leads to burnout, depression and, in the worst case, suicide.
Mental illness is particularly common in viticulture and agriculture. This is proven by clear figures: 27 per cent of winegrowers and farmers are affected by burnout, which is 4.5 times more than the rest of the German population, according to a report by Südwestrundfunk (SWR). The situation is similar for depression: At 24 per cent, those affected among winegrowers and farmers are three times higher than the rest of the population. According to the Social Insurance for Agriculture, Forestry and Horticulture (SVLFG), mental illness is already the second most common cause of reduced earning capacity pensions in the sector.
First aid for winegrowers in crisis situations is available on the phone from several organisations such as the agricultural family counselling service of the churches. "Our service has been around since 1998," reports the pastor. In the parishes, the pastors felt overwhelmed when winegrowers and farmers turned to them with problems between family and business. "This initially gave rise to the 'Church and Village' service and later, in collaboration with the Farmers' and Winegrowers' Association, the current counselling service," explains Sascha Müller.
In 2018, social insurance also set up a telephone crisis counselling service with the provider IVP (Integrated Care Programmes) in Hamburg. Carola Benn, the head of the agricultural crisis hotline there, confirms the figures from SWR: "There are significantly more suicides among farmers and winegrowers than in other occupational groups." In her opinion, the reasons for this are a lack of support services - and the fact that those affected are very reluctant to seek help in the first place. "Particularly in the green professions, mental health is even more taboo than in other occupational groups," says Stefan Adelsberger from the SVLFG's Health Services Unit. Anonymous and low-threshold services are therefore particularly important for them. Almost 20 psychologists work on the crisis hotline for winegrowers and farmers.
Around half of Sascha Müller's callers come from the winegrowing sector, but their problems hardly differ from those of other agricultural professions: "Burnout and exhaustion depression, insomnia, fear of the future, listlessness," says Carola Benn, describing what is bothering the callers. The combination of private and professional life when living and working together, far too little holiday, the lack of labour - all of this often comes together. "Family relationships are often about a lack of communication and appreciation," says Carola Benn, explaining the problems faced by those seeking help. She tells of a winegrower whose vision was significantly impaired after an accident at work. But he did not seek help. His wife tried to take on the responsibility. But this led to overwork for both of them. "In viticulture and agriculture, women often shoulder the double burden of work on the farm, in the family and training as well as in the neighbourhood, while the husband concentrates on work." Old and new role models clash - and no longer work: for example, when wives don't join the business and earn their money elsewhere. Or because the idea of an eight-hour working day for the partner simply doesn't work in the reality of a winery.
This working reality is also one reason why interventions that can provide acute help in other professions are not an option for winegrowers. "You can't just put a winemaker on sick leave for four or six weeks," says Sascha Müller. "Breaking off contact or separation due to family problems also has a completely different dimension in these professions. Professional and private matters are simply much more closely interwoven," adds Carola Benn.
Difficult relationships, for example between the generations or in a partnership, are among the triggers for seeking outside help. "Disputes with parents-in-law often revolve around responsibilities and competences," says Stefan Adelsberger. In a specific context, it is often impossible to tell whether father and child or senior boss and junior boss are talking to each other. When businesses are handed over, such tensions arise and generational conflicts cause a high level of psychological stress - which is added to the usual demands.
In addition to these problem areas, winegrowers have to deal with extreme weather conditions and the resulting damage, the economic crisis in the wine industry, price pressure and social perception. "The mood in society really gets under people's skin. It affects their self-worth and self-esteem," says Carola Benn of her callers' perceptions. A report in the Allgemeine Zeitung in Mainz describes just how far such social marginalisation can go: "My son was bullied at school because of his father's profession," says a winegrower affected by depression and burnout. The bullying led to a suicide attempt by the teenager. He only just survived. For the shaken father, the topic of plant protection is an example of social prejudice. "They spray everything, they always say," he is quoted as saying, "and I'm so upset about always being pilloried like that."
Recently, there has been a significant increase in reporting on the stresses and strains in green professions such as viticulture. This is noticeable in the help offered: Many crisis helplines are still being called "secretly" from the tractor or in the vineyard. But the willingness to seek help is growing. "After reports in the media on the subject, the number of callers is increasing," reports Stefan Adelsberger. "In the past, it used to be more women who called, but now 50 per cent of them are men. They have realised that counselling is not a bad thing, that you can call in expertise," Sascha Müller has also observed. "Mental stress is less stigmatised these days," Carola Benn has had similar experiences. A particularly large number of calls come in after work peaks such as harvest time or around Christmas, when the workload is lighter and the family spends an unusual amount of time together.
Things get really difficult when winegrowers have an alcohol problem. "We also work with approaches such as controlled drinking," says Sascha Müller, explaining his approach. However, this is not only challenging for those affected, but also for the pastor. It is not always possible to find a good solution. If telephone calls or the talks on offer are not enough, or if there is a serious crisis, the psychologists help to find a therapeutic point of contact.
Telephone counselling service of the German Depression Helpline
Tel. 0800 - 1110111 and 0800 - 1110222
Acute crisis hotline of the Social Insurance for Agriculture, Forestry and Horticulture
Tel. 0561 785 - 10101
Agricultural family counselling of the churches in Rheinhessen and the Palatinate
Tel. 0561 - 9378159-0
Worry hotline for farming families in the Rhineland Protestant Rural Youth Academy
Tel. 02681-9516-12