NCC will host Depression Day screening Oct. 5

By Heidi Burtson
NCC will be serving as a designated screening site for depression from 9 a.m-2 p.m. and from 4 p.m-7 p.m. in the Garden Lounge area of the College Center on Oct. 5.
Across all fifty states, clinicians volunteer each year to offer depression screening programs and seminars related to the topic in such local venues as malls, colleges, libraries and so forth as part of National Depression Screening Day.

The day is the largest nationwide community-based mental health screening program to date, with 550,000 screenings held nationwide each year.

Depression Screening Day at NCC will consist of testing for the presence of symptoms indicative of clinical depression or related mental conditions such as generalized anxiety disorder, bipolar disorder and seasonal affective disorder. It is also intended to raise awareness of the high presence of depression in young adults and to educate the public about mental disorders- both their symptoms and treatments. The screening does not offer an official diagnosis. Its primary goal is to connect those in need of treatment to the mental health care system.

Oftentimes the stress of transitioningto college can trigger depression. These stresses can include changes in family and social life, adapting to a new environment (sometimes radically so) and mounting financial responsibilities. These changes can aggravate pre-existing depression in a person to the point where their college career is in danger, not to mention their physical and mental well being.

According to the 2003 National Depression Screening Results, 26 percent of the college students who scored positive for depression had considered committing
suicide. Symptoms of depression can include a lasting period (at least two weeks) of a persistent depressed mood, a degraded social and academic performance,
indecision and frequent thoughts of self-harm or suicide.

Depression may also manifest itself in physical symptoms such as headaches, insomnia (or the reverse, extended periods of sleep), a change in eating habits, weight gain or loss and fatigue. It is not necessary that all the above symptoms be present for an individual to qualify as clinically depressed. Only some symptoms may be present in an individual and each case is different.

The Counseling Department at NCC would like to stress the importance of the screening for those who may be experiencing any of the above symptoms. The screening will consist of an information session and a brief questionnaire lasting no longer than 5-10 minutes.

There will be an opportunity to speak one-on-one with a mental health professional
and pamphlets will be available on the subject at the site. If appropriate,
a participant may be referred for a complete evaluation and provided a list of clinicians and facilities in their area. A “friends and family questionnaire” will also be available. The depression screening at NCC will be open to NCC students, staff and faculty, and is both free and confidential.