October is National Depression & Mental Health Screening Month
By Catline Jacques, MD
October is National Depression and Mental Health Screening Month, a time when clinicians and their communities come together to spread awareness and combat mental illness. By working together, we can all promote the importance of mental health screenings while reducing the stigma associated with mental health illnesses.
Common Symptoms of Depression
The following are some of the most common symptoms of depression. If you or someone you love has been experiencing one or more of these nearly every day for at least two weeks, it’s a sign you or they may be suffering from depression:
- Persistent sadness or anxiety
- Feeling hopeless
- Irritability
- Loss of interest in hobbies
- Decreased energy or fatigue
- Becoming more and more isolated
- Difficulty concentrating, remembering, or making decisions
- Difficulty sleeping
- Loss of appetite
- Thoughts of death or suicide
What Clinicians are Doing
It’s common for people battling depression to feel worse during the holidays. That’s one reason why the month of October was chosen as the awareness month; because it gives people plenty of lead time to get help before the festivities hit.
What Can You Do?
If you or someone you love is suffering from depression, it’s important to get screened. After your screening, a qualified practitioner will discuss a treatment plan with you that may include therapy, medication, or a combination of the two.
If you are someone who has recovered from depression, it’s a wonderful idea to share your journey with others if you feel comfortable doing so. Often when people are struggling with their own darkness, knowing someone has walked through to the other side and is living once again in the light, can offer hope and encouragement.
If you or someone you love is interested in speaking with a psychiatrist, please reach out to me. I would be happy to discuss how I might help.
SOURCES:
- https://www.naccho.org/blog/articles/national-depression-and-mental-health-screening-month-provides-opportunities-for-local-health-departments
- https://www.rtor.org/2020/10/08/national-depression-and-mental-health-screening-month/
- https://www.chconline.org/october-is-national-depression-and-mental-health-screening-month/
One Marina Drv., Suite 1410, Boston, MA 02210
Monday 9:00 AM- 5:00 PM
125 Cambridge Park Drive, Suite 301, Cambridge, MA 02140
Tuesday 9:00 AM- 5:00 PM
859 Willard St., Suite 400 Quincy, MA 02169
Wednesday 12:00 PM- 4:00 PM
All of the content of this website is for informational purposes only and not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Using, accessing, or browsing the website, linked pages, and/or providing personal or medical information to this site does not create a physician-patient relationship between you or any such person affiliated with this site. Nothing contained in the website is intended to replace the services or to be a substitute for the medical advice of a licensed, trained physician or health professional in your state or jurisdiction. Reliance on any information provided by the website or other users of the website is solely at your own risk. Content is provided on an “AS IS” basis and without any warranty (either express or implied). No emergency or acute service is available, and there is no guarantee of response or transmission if using online forms on this site.
© 2021 Alverdia Health PLLC. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy