UB's Psychological Services Center offered a variety of psychological services on Oct. 11, National Depression Screening Day (NDSD), as part of Mental Illness Awareness Week. The focus of the event was to inform people of the prevalence of mental illness in society and educate them on its symptoms and treatments available both on and off campus.
This is the first year the PSC participated in this free community-based screening, which is held annually in October nationwide. Along with the UB community, people from the broader western New York also came to seek advice and treatment.
"We are reaching out to anyone who may be experiencing symptoms of depression and depression-related disorders such as manic depression, anxiety and post-traumatic stress disorder," stated Dr Beth Cohen, director of the psychological services center and clinical assistant professor in the department of psychology, in an e-mail.
NDSD was founded by Douglas Jacobs, a Harvard-affiliated psychiatrist, who implemented the first large-scale mental health screening in 1991. Jacobs also founded the non-profit group Screening for Mental Health, which organizes NDSD and several other mental health screening events throughout the year.
"I think it's a good idea to have this screening on campus. It's fast, free and very informative," said Marcus Rodriguez, a senior psychology major.
According to Cohen, depression, anxiety and related disorders are not merely cases of passing sadness. Some warning signs include feelings of worthlessness, thoughts of suicide, changes in eating habits and loss of pleasure in usual activities.
Faculty and doctoral students in the clinical psychology department were on hand to administer the screenings.
First, participants had to fill out a one-page screening questionnaire. The screening score would then indicate whether the responses to the questionnaire are symptoms of depression, manic depression, anxiety or stress disorders.
The program also included an educational video on post-traumatic stress and depressive disorders, followed by a brief five to 10 minute confidential interview with a student clinician to discuss the results of the questionnaire.
During the interview, participants were encouraged to share their thoughts and feelings with the clinician. The clinician also provided alternative community resources available on and around campus for participants to be aware.
According to Cohen, feedback given from the questionnaire was informational and was in no way diagnostic.
All of the services provided during the screening were strictly confidential, said Cohen. Participants were not required to give their names and were assigned identification numbers instead.
"A lot of times, I'd be embarrassed to go to these screenings, so maybe if it's so useful they should make it mandatory," said Mike Gold, a sophomore undecided major.
For free psychological counseling and treatment, students can go to the UB Counseling Center or the Depression Research & Treatment Program.
According to Cohen, depression affects nearly 10 percent of all adult Americans aged 18 and over, which is equal to 19 million people annually.
"Statistics show that over 80 percent of those suffering (from depression) can be treated successfully and return to a higher quality of life," said Cohen.
Some of the services available at the PSC include individual counseling and therapy, workshops and consultations.
"I encourage all students to take part in these screenings even if they 'think' they are OK, to learn more about themselves and their emotions," said Brian Wang, a sophomore intended psychology major.
Academic problems, anger, depression, loneliness, self-esteem, eating problems and interpersonal conflict resolution are some of the problems that have been addressed by the PSC.
"When I first got to college, everything was so different, friends and all, that I felt 'sick' all the time," said Victoria Johnson, a freshman. "I finally spoke to someone in the counseling center and it really helped."
The PSC could not disclose the total number of participants in NDSD. However, Cohen said there were a mix of people from within and outside the UB community and that next year, the PSC will do more to promote the screenings.
