Screenings Are First Step in Treating Depression

All across the country Thursday, anyone who feels that they or a loved one may be depressed or has suicidal thoughts can get help--anonymously, confidentially and free of charge.

The ninth annual National Depression Screening Day will take place that day at more than 200 sites in California and thousands more throughout the nation. The event is coordinated by the National Mental Illness Screening Project, a nonprofit organization based in Wellesley, Mass. Other sponsors of the effort include the National Institute of Mental Health, the American Psychiatric Assn. and the National Mental Health Assn.

Last year, more than 90,000 Americans participated in the free screenings.

Every year, between 17 and 20 million Americans spiral into depression--a feeling of sadness and hopelessness that they can’t seem to shake off. It is estimated that one in five U.S. adults experiences an episode of depression in their lifetime. Symptoms such as sleep disturbances, fatigue or restlessness, difficulty concentrating and changes in appetite often accompany depression, which can be caused by imbalances in key brain chemicals, stressful life events and as a side effect of certain drugs or illnesses.

You can find a screening site near your home by calling (800) 573-4433 or by checking the project’s Web site at https://www.nmisp.org. There are 3,000 screening sites--at clinics, hospitals and more--across the nation. At the screening sites, you can fill out a questionnaire to help determine if you suffer or ever have suffered from depression. You can also learn more about the signs of suicidal feelings, get information about depression and suicide and talk with a mental health professional.

If necessary, the site will direct you to a place where you or a loved one can get affordable treatment for depression, even if you don’t have health insurance.

From now until Dec. 31, Orange County residents will also be able to access an automated depression questionnaire by dialing (800) 820-7003. The telephone questionnaire takes about four minutes to complete, operates 24 hours a day, and is free and anonymous.

If it’s determined that someone may be suffering from depression, the participant is referred to a screening site in the area where he or she can talk with a mental health professional.

“We know that there’s a lot of stigma about depression that keeps people from coming in for face-to-face evaluations,” said Dr. William Callahan, president-elect of the Orange County Psychiatric Society, which organized the special service along with a broad coalition of local health care organizations.