Drought casts suicide shadow over rural Australia (link)This is truly a sad story. Posted by Kyer at June 9, 2005 01:43 AM
By Michael Perry Mon Jun 6,12:08 PM ET
SYDNEY (Reuters) - The rate of rural suicide in Australia is among the highest in the world as farmers battle the stress of years of drought, failed crops, mounting debt and slowly decaying towns.
"Every day I look outside and I say to myself: 'I get so sick to death of blue sky'," wrote farmer Mick in a recent book, "Tough Times," in which 10 country men talk about their fight with depression and thoughts of suicide.
"I just want to see some clouds and some rain," said Mick, who has lived on a small farm all his life.
"The strain is just so constant and long and it's like someone grabbing at me by the throat and slowly choking you a bit more each day."