The University of Wyoming Counseling Center is promoting Mental Health Awareness Week, Oct. 5-9, and National Depression Screening Day Thursday, Oct. 8, by offering an anonymous and free depression screening test on its Web site at www.uwyo.edu/ucc.
The screening, which takes about five minutes to complete, is designed to draw attention to the symptoms and treatment of depression, bipolar disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder and anxiety.
"The depression screenings are critical for college students because so many are actually depressed and never get diagnosed, leading to complications like failing classes or losing relationships," says Brenda Tracy, University Counseling Center mental health counselor/outreach coordinator. "Anyone can go online any time, day or night, any day of the year to take the depression screening."
Tracy says research indicates nearly 45 percent of college-age students report feeling so depressed that they could not function. She also says most people with depression do not seek treatment, even though depression is a "highly treatable illness."
"We know that two-thirds of those who could benefit from treatment do not seek it because of the stigma associated with asking for help," says Tracy. "And yet, 80 percent of those who get treatment recover successfully."
Faculty and staff worried about a student can inform the student in a matter-of-fact manner of their concern, and suggest the student see a UCC counselor at 341 Knight Hall. Any student that walks in is seen the same day to be assessed for their safety and determine the nature of their concerns.
For more information and for other mental health screening tests, call the UCC at (307) 766-2187, e-mail uccstaff@uwyo.edu, or visit the UCC Web site at the address listed above.
Posted on Monday, October 05, 2009