Oct. 10 set aside for depression screening
Screening day designed to increase awareness
The National Institute of Mental Health in Rockville, MD, reports that more than 17 million Americans develop depression each year, yet less than half are diagnosed and treated. There are many reasons why. Some people know something is wrong but don’t know what it is. Others think they may be depressed, but they don’t know where to turn. Many have difficulty bringing up the concept of mental health problems with their primary care physician. They want to talk about it but they don’t know how, says Joelle Reizes, MA, director of special projects for Screening for Mental Health in Wellesley Hills, MA.
To help get the word out about the signs and symptoms of depression and help people who suffer from the illness seek treatment, Screening for Mental Health has designated Oct. 10, 2002, as National Depression Screening Day. On this day, psychiatric facilities across the country set up screening sites at local shopping malls, libraries, and other facilities to screen for depression. "People are interested in being screened for mental health issues. It is an opportunity to talk to a clinician for free that is the biggest draw," says Reizes.
The screening involves completing a form, listening to an educational presentation, and sitting down with a clinician for a few minutes for a one-on-one consultation. There are brochures and handouts on depression participants can pick up at the screening. All these materials, as well as a publicity guide and procedure manual, are available in a complete kit for $150 from Screening for Mental Health.
The one-page screening form is designed to be easy to use and score, and addresses a range of commonly underdiagnosed disorders that often co-occur with depression. "What we have done is create one-stop shopping for the public when they are feeling symptoms that are often overlapping," says Reizes. These symptoms might be tension, feeling down, and feeling keyed up with all the symptoms interacting.
People are attracted to the screening with catchy promotions. For example, colorful balloons and a sign that reads Test your Mood’ is very inviting. The most successful screening facilities are public sites such as shopping malls, and the least successful sites are psychiatric facilities. There are fewer stigmas in bringing it out in the open than making it private, says Reizes. "Making it private conveys the message that somehow we should be hush-hush and embarrassed. Bringing it out in the open as we would any other health issue removes the stigma," she explains.
Teach signs of depression
It is important for the public to recognize signs of depression so that they can seek treatment or aid others in finding help. There are many signs and symptoms that could indicate a person is depressed. Feeling blue is not necessarily one of them. Sadness often is a normal reaction to a life situation but goes away after a few days. Clinical depression persists, and, if left untreated, can last for months or years.
According to Screening for Mental Health, symptoms include:
- persistent, sad, anxious, or empty mood;
- feelings of hopelessness or pessimism;
- feelings of guilt, worthlessness, or helplessness;
- loss of interest or pleasure in ordinary activities;
- decreased energy, a feeling of fatigue;
- difficulty concentrating or making decisions;
- restlessness or irritability;
- inability to sleep or oversleeping;
- changes in appetite or weight;
- unexplained aches and pains;
- thoughts of death or suicide.
Data collected from National Depression Screening Days, which were implemented in 1991, reveal that some people who have depression do not experience the classic symptoms of changes in sleep or appetite. Data from the screenings reveal that the most common symptoms are:
- difficulty doing things done in the past;
- feeling hopeless about the future;
- difficulty in making decision;
- feeling worthless and not needed;
- no longer enjoying once enjoyable activities.
There are four types of depression. Major depression is the most common, and people who experience it would have at least five of the major symptoms of depression. Dysthymia, a milder form of depression, is the second most common. People with dysthymia may only have two or three symptoms. Bipolar depression is the depressive phase of manic-depressive illness. Symptoms are similar to major depression. Seasonal affective disorder is a type of depression where symptoms occur in the winter months and diminish in spring and summer. It may be caused by a biochemical reaction from the absence of sunlight.
It is important for the general public to be aware of depression and the various types not only for their well-being but for the health of their family and friends. People who are depressed cannot simply "snap out of it" and need to seek medical intervention, says Reizes. People who suffer from depression can be treated with medication and psychotherapy.
Suicide is the most tragic outcome of depression, yet many people do not know how to intervene by helping their friend or family member seek psychiatric help. That’s why there is a suicide-prevention component in the screening kit.
"Most people stand a better chance of surviving if they start to choke to death in a restaurant than if they are sitting in that same restaurant and tell their dining partner they want to take their own life," says Reizes.
Source
For more information about screening for depression, contact:
- Joelle Reizes, MA, Director of Special Projects, Screening for Mental Health, One Washington St., Suite 304, Wellesley Hills, MA 02481. Telephone: (781) 239-0071. Web site: www.mentalhealthscreening.org.
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