Clinic to focus on depression

In conjunction with National Depression Screening Day, the local branch of the Canadian Mental Health Association will be holding a clinic tomorrow (Thursday) at Pharmasave.
“This is part of a national screening campaign to raise awareness and detect signs of depression,” said Nancy Daley, community support staff with the Canadian Mental Health Association here.
The clinic will run from 9 a.m.-5:30 p.m.
“This is the first time we’ve done this,” Daley added, noting clinics also will be held at both Emo and Rainy River clinics from 9 a.m.-5 p.m. that day.
The clinic will feature an information booth with brochures about depression, including manic depression, as well as a self-scoring questionnaire which can help anyone determine whether they may be clinically depressed.
This can be filled out at a separate area at Pharmasave.
“It’s all confidential. You don’t have to use your name. We use a number system instead,” noted Daley.
Daley and co-worker Jennifer Woods, along with a representative from Riverside Community Counselling, also will be on hand for anyone who wants to talk about depression. They can make any necessary referrals.
A separate room in the back of the store will be available for additional confidentiality.
Daley said depression has gotten more and more attention in recent years. “By the year 2020, depression will be the second-leading health concern in the world,” she remarked.
Depression may affect anyone at any age but half of cases start before age 25. Symptoms include a feeling of sadness, changes in sleep and appetite, inability to concentrate, and thoughts of death and suicide, guilt, hopelessness, and a loss of pleasure in usual activities.
These symptoms don’t go away by themselves, and persist over time.
Unfortunately, less than half of people with depression get treatment despite the fact more than 80 percent of depressed people improve over several months once they get treatment.
But depression can kill. About two-thirds of people who kill themselves have a depressive disorder at their time of death, Suicide rates among youth have increased more than 300 percent since the 1950s.
For more information, call Daley or Woods at 274-2347.