TV tip
ZDF report about “Burnout on the Farm”
Christoph Rothhaupt is a farmer in the north of Bavaria. photo
© Reinhard Bettauer/ZDF/dpa
Farmers are also plagued by many worries, far from any farm romance. A report on ZDF reports on the dark side of her job.
Eventually he sought help from a counseling center and said goodbye to dairy farming. Saying goodbye to the animals also made it possible for him to find his way out of the deep valley of anxiety and self-doubt. Today, together with two business partners, he looks after the sustainable cultivation of organic vegetables – and above all, takes care of his wife and two small sons.
The report “Burnout on the Farm” from the “37 Degrees” series uses two cases to show how farmers struggle with depression. The film can be seen this Tuesday at 10:15 p.m. on ZDF.
Christian (38) from Rhineland-Palatinate describes himself as a passionate rapeseed grower. He is the fourth generation to run his business; after his father’s death, the farmer had to manage on his own. He threw himself into work, often without days off and until late at night. His wife and young son hardly saw him. Only when a knee injury and then suicidal thoughts came into his life did he call a crisis hotline and get help. This was followed by several hospital stays and therapies, after which he took medication for years. You can also see what he has been through and how he continues to struggle for confidence.
The authors Johanna Langer and Nora Stoewer (“Life on the Houseboat”) carefully accompanied their two protagonists, who had to find themselves anew, in their everyday lives. It becomes clear that isolation and withdrawal is the wrong approach and that they probably wouldn’t have made it without the support of their strong, open wives. The way out of depression is difficult, and there is always the possibility of a new downward spiral. The conclusion of this impressive report, which also deals with the current topic of the lack of appreciation for farmers, is that we should talk openly about the problems, allow closeness and live sustainably not just for the company, but especially for ourselves.