MENTAL HEALTH SCREENING – OCTOBER 6, 2005

Are Your Moods Preventing You from Enjoying Life?

Are you one of the millions of Americans who feel like they’re losing control over their own emotions? A recent Harvard Medical School study shows that 46 percent of Americans have experienced mental illness at some point in their lives.

For most people, figuring out the line between “I’ve been moody lately” or “I get tired easily,” with “I have depression” is difficult. National Depression Screening Day‚ (NDSD) has been helping people make that distinction for the last 15 years. This year NDSD has become “NDSD Mental Health Screening‘” to better reflect the event’s focus on multiple disorders. Bergen Regional Medical Center, located at 230 East Ridgewood Avenue in Paramus, NJ, is participating by offering free mental health screenings on October 6th from 3-5 pm and 6-8 pm.

As part of the screening, you’re invited to fill out a one-page questionnaire assessing the likelihood that you may be suffering from depression, bipolar disorder, generalized anxiety disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder or postpartum depression. You will also have the opportunity to receive informational pamphlets and brochures, and follow up privately with a mental health professional if necessary. The program is free for all those who attend and is completely confidential.

“The stigma associated with depression and related disorders has decreased in recent years, but many people still aren’t able to recognize a mood or anxiety disorder in themselves and others,” said Dr. Arthur Middleton, Medical Director of Bergen Regional Medical Center’s Behavioral Health Division. “This is an easy first step for anyone who’s concerned about their own mental health or the mental health of someone close to them.”

NDSD mental health screenings are held in October as part of Mental Illness Awareness Week. The event is a program of the nonprofit organization Screening for Mental Health, Inc. Screenings will be held across the country at approximately 2,500 screening sites, including hospitals, mental health clinics, colleges and primary care offices.