National Depression Screening Day is to be held this year on Thursday October 5, 2017. Created by the nonprofit, Screening for Mental Health, NDSD is dedicated to raising awareness and screenings for people with depression, and related mood or anxiety disorders. The purpose of the day is to screen as many people as possible and to give them treatment options for depression.
National Depression Screening Day takes place nationwide when thousands of different organizations offer screenings and referrals. It is now in its 25th year.
Clinical Depression is considered a serious illness that can lead to suicide. It affects both men and women of all ages, races, and socioeconomic backgrounds. It is well established that there is a close relationship between depression and substance abuse. Not only can depression lead to substance abuse but the abuse of drugs and alcohol can alter brain chemistry which can lead to depression.
Symptoms of depression include, sleep issues including sleeping too little or sleeping too much, not finding pleasure in activities that historically have given us pleasure, fatigue, reduced appetite, restlessness or irritability, difficulty concentrating or making decisions, and thoughts of death or suicide.
Depression can also have an impact on one’s physical health and has been linked to problems with the central nervous system, digestive system, cardiovascular and immune systems.
For a free, online screening, go to mentalhealthamerica.net/…/national-depression-screening-day.
For a free assessment for your substance abuse issue, contact us at New Bridge Foundation® (866) 772-8491 , where we recognize the importance of treating individuals with co-occurring disorders with specialized treatment.
