Always blue? It may be depression
by LaToya Hankins - THE CHARLOTTE POST
E
veryone gets a little down sometimes. But when the blues seem to happen all the time, then it's time to consider getting help.
Today is National Depression Screening Day and screenings will be held across the city to help people put a name to the doldrums.
"Depression is quite prevalent but it's treatable," said Liz Jordak, executive director of the Mental Health Association of Mecklenburg County. "Everyone experiences some form of
depression, but clinical depression is when it last for periods of time and you can't snap out of it no matter how hard you try."
The screenings will be held at:
- Behavioral Health Center-Amethyst Carolinas Healthcare System, 1715 Sharon Road West- 10 a.m.-7 p.m. For more information, call 395-3782
- Central Piedmont Community College, Van Every Building Lobby, Central Campus, noon to 4 p.m. For more information, call 330-6229
- Presbyterian Behavioral Health, 200 Hawthorne Lane, 11 a.m.-7 p.m. For more information, call 384-4255
- UNC Charlotte Counseling Center, 158 Atkins Building. For more information, call 547-4376.
All screenings are free and anonymous. The screening are an opportunity to learn more abut the illness of depression, complete a brief questionnaire and speak one-on-one with a mental
health professional. If appropriate, evaluation referrals and community resources will also be provided.
Depression affects over 17 million Americans a year and is defined as a chemical imbalance in the brain which is often trigged by a life event.
Some symptoms include:
- Feelings of hopelessness, guilt or pessimism
- Decreased energy, a feeling of fatigue
- Social withdrawal
- Difficulty in concentrating, remembering or making decisions
- Thoughts of death or suicide.
According to the Campaign of Clinical Depression, African American women are twice as likely to suffer depression than white women but only 31 percent of African Americans see it
as a health problem. And those that feel they have a problem with mental health are more likely to seek help from their families, friends or faith instead of trained professional. Jordak said people should understand that even though depression is seen as a mental health
issue, it is treatable either through talk therapy or drugs.
"I think there is a less of a stigma attached to depression compared to way it was viewed before," she said. "People should not be ashamed to seek treatment if they feel like they have a problem."
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