UAB Media Relations
UAB will conduct screenings for depression and other mental health conditions on Thursday, Oct. 5, as part of National Depression Screening Day (NDSD). The screenings are free, confidential and open to the public. Screenings will be held from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. in the West Pavilion Conference Center at UAB Hospital.
The annual screenings began 16 years ago as the first nationwide, community-based mental health screening program. Today, it is the largest provider of mental health screening services in the country through its partnership with thousands of community-based, college and primary care screening sites. NDSD has expanded in recent years to offer both in-person and online screening for four of the most common and frequently occurring mental disorders: depression, bipolar disorder, generalized anxiety disorder and post-traumatic stress disorder.
Screenings will be held at 2,500 sites nationwide on Oct. 5. Participants will take a free self-test that addresses concerns about depression and related mood or anxiety disorders. Mental health professionals will be on hand to help participants gain more information on treatment options if desired. For more information, call (205) 975-0068 or visit www.mentalhealthscreening.org.
DEPRESSION FACTS
- 1 in 5 adults may experience depression at some point during their life.
- Women experience depression twice as often as men.
- Less than 1/3 of the people with depression receive treatment for it.
- Depression, when treated, has a response rate of over 80 percent.
- Untreated depression can persist for years and may lead to suicide.
SYMPTOMS
- Depressed mood
- Diminished interest or pleasure in activities
- Significant change in appetite and/or weight
- Insomnia or hypersomnia (too much sleep)
COMMON SIGNS OF DEPRESSION
- Fatigue
- Pain
- Sleep disturbances
- Anxiety or irritability
- Gastrointestinal disorders