Anyone concerned that they may be suffering from depression has
a place to turn for help.
Hazel Hawkins Hospital will be a participating site for the
first time in the National Depression Screening Day.
The screening program, which is sponsored by the American
Psychiatric Association, has been held at sites around the country
for the past 12 years.
Anyone concerned that they may be suffering from depression has a place to turn for help.
Hazel Hawkins Hospital will be a participating site for the first time in the National Depression Screening Day.
The screening program, which is sponsored by the American Psychiatric Association, has been held at sites around the country for the past 12 years.
It is part of a nationwide attempt to educate and inform people about the symptoms and intricacies of depression, and several other disorders including anxiety disorder, bipolar disorder and post traumatic stress disorder, said Dr. David Reikowski, Ph.D., the facilitator of the screening and the program director for Solutions for Seniors at Hazel Hawkins.
“We want to alert people to try to remove the stigma of labels of depression and other disorders,” Reikowski said.
There are two main services provided by the hospital – anonymous phone screening provided the entire week, and an informational table set up in the hospital lobby on the national screening day, Thursday, Oct. 9, with anonymous screening at the hospital from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
A questionnaire of about 30 questions will be administered to those interested, with the questions aimed at helping identify symptoms linked to depression, Reikowski said.
While San Benito County is not more prone to depression than any other county, between five to 10 percent of the population are clinically depressed at any one time. In the county, that means that up to 5,000 people meet the criteria for depression, Reikowski said.
“That’s the entire stadium at a Baler football game,” he said. “It’s a lot of people.”
If someone has a bad day or a bad weekend, they shouldn’t be worried that they are becoming depressed, but if depressive symptoms last for more than two weeks they can be considered depressed.
Symptoms include a loss of interest or pleasure in activities, low energy, difficulty concentrating or making decisions, a change in sleeping or eating patterns or thoughts of suicide, Reikowski said.
“More people commit suicide than are killed by handguns in this country,” he said. “We always talk about crime prevention, but never suicide prevention- especially with teenagers and the elderly.”
While the stigma of depression is lessening with TV characters talking about it and well-known people coming forward and speaking publicly about it, many people still don’t realize how treatable depression is, and that it’s part of our culture now, he said.
Depression is to some degree about biology, but stress can be a factor or an exacerbating determinant of depression.
“It’s not surprising that more people are prone to depression,” he said, “we live in a very stressful time.”
To set up an anonymous phone screening, call the hospital any time this week between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. at 636-1884, or visit the hospital lobby Thursday.
