UBH Denton Offers Free Depression Screenings During Mental Illness Awareness Week Oct. 4-9
UBH Denton is offering free depression screenings Monday through Friday, October 4-8, from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily, and on Saturday, October 9, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. as part of Mental Illness Awareness Week. Screenings will be done at UBH’s Denton facility located at 2026 West University Drive and at its NorthPointe facility in Carrollton at 4100 Fairway Court, Building 200.
Denton, TX, September 29, 2010 --(PR.com)-- Because depression is one of the most common yet neglected mental health issues, University Behavioral Health Denton will offer free individualized depression screenings October 4-9, during Mental Illness Awareness Week.
“The goal of screening is to differentiate between sadness and depression,” said Dr. Nishendu Vasavada, corporate medical director of UBH Denton. “Everyone experiences sadness at times, but when those feelings last too long and begin to adversely affect an individual’s work and home lives, it could be depression.”
In the screenings, UBH will work with visitors to determine whether they are experiencing depression symptoms. Among these symptoms are suicidal thoughts, lack of interest in various activities, sleeping troubles, lack of appetite or overeating, trouble concentrating, and tiredness or lack of energy.
Based on the results of the initial screening, a visitor may be referred to UBH Denton specialists or offered guidance in seeking help from other north Texas mental health service providers.
While there are many online websites that provide checklists about the key signs of depression, these self-screenings have limited usefulness, Dr. Vasavada said. He explained, “There are different ways to ‘score’ an individual’s responses to basic questions about depression. That is the value of a trained screener, who can see beyond the typical responses and determine whether a person should be further examined for depression.”
UBH Denton points out that clinical depression affects one out of four women and one in 10 men at some point during their lives, yet two-thirds of people experiencing depression fail to seek treatment for it. The vast majority of clinical depression sufferers can be successfully treated with medication, therapy, or a combination of the two.
“Depression screening is simply the first step in getting help and beginning the journey back to a happier life,” Dr. Vasavada said.
University Behavioral Health, part of Ascend Health Corporation, has facilities in Denton and Carrollton. It features specialty programs such as Breaking Free with Herschel Walker that treats patients with co-occurring issues such as depression and substance abuse; Freedom Care, serving active duty military members, as well as veterans, retirees, and their families; Exclusively Women, which helps women heal together and develop healthy lifestyles and coping skills to manage their emotional lives; and Minirth Adult Services, a faith-based program that merges professional counseling and Biblical principles.
University Behavioral Health serves these segments as well as a broad range of other patients, from children as young as 5 through adolescents, adults, and mature adults. In all its programs, University Behavioral Health relies on evidence-based mental health care, in which evidence gained from scientific methods is applied to medical decision making in order to deliver the most positive outcomes.
About University Behavioral Health
University Behavioral Health provides a supportive, compassionate, and innovative private healing environment of patient-centered care for patients and their families. It is part of Ascend Health Corporation, a national behavioral healthcare company providing a full range of psychiatric services through private hospitals. University Behavioral Health serves the north Texas-Oklahoma region through hospitals in Denton and Carrollton. Private and confidential assessments are provided at no charge. Visit www.ubhdenton.com for more information.
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Depression and Mental Illness
- Clinical depression is one of the most common mental illnesses. It affects more than 19 million Americans each year.
- Depression results in loss of pleasure from daily life. It can complicate medical conditions, lead to substance abuse, and even suicide.
- Depression can affect a person at any age, and to people of any race or ethnic group.
- The depression rate among middle-aged men is nearly 40 percent – compared with 25 percent for middle-aged women.
- Many people resist treatment because they perceive it to be a personal weakness and they believe they can treat it themselves.
- Depression is associated with physical illness. Twenty-five percent of hospitalized medical patients have depressive symptoms.
- Suicide is the 11th leading cause of death in the U.S. and the third leading cause of death for people ages 10-24. More than 90 percent of those who die by suicide have a diagnosable mental disorder.
Symptoms of Clinical Depression
- Persistent sadness, anxiousness or sullen mood
- Sleeping troubles, too much or too little
- Reduced appetite and weight loss, or overeating and weight gain
- Loss of interest in activities once enjoyed
- Restlessness, irritability
- Difficulty concentrating, remembering or making decisions
- Lack of energy
- Feeling guilty, hopeless or worthless
- Persistent physical symptoms such as chronic pain or digestive disorders
- Thoughts of suicide or death
Five or more symptoms occurring for two weeks or more may indicate clinical depression.
“The goal of screening is to differentiate between sadness and depression,” said Dr. Nishendu Vasavada, corporate medical director of UBH Denton. “Everyone experiences sadness at times, but when those feelings last too long and begin to adversely affect an individual’s work and home lives, it could be depression.”
In the screenings, UBH will work with visitors to determine whether they are experiencing depression symptoms. Among these symptoms are suicidal thoughts, lack of interest in various activities, sleeping troubles, lack of appetite or overeating, trouble concentrating, and tiredness or lack of energy.
Based on the results of the initial screening, a visitor may be referred to UBH Denton specialists or offered guidance in seeking help from other north Texas mental health service providers.
While there are many online websites that provide checklists about the key signs of depression, these self-screenings have limited usefulness, Dr. Vasavada said. He explained, “There are different ways to ‘score’ an individual’s responses to basic questions about depression. That is the value of a trained screener, who can see beyond the typical responses and determine whether a person should be further examined for depression.”
UBH Denton points out that clinical depression affects one out of four women and one in 10 men at some point during their lives, yet two-thirds of people experiencing depression fail to seek treatment for it. The vast majority of clinical depression sufferers can be successfully treated with medication, therapy, or a combination of the two.
“Depression screening is simply the first step in getting help and beginning the journey back to a happier life,” Dr. Vasavada said.
University Behavioral Health, part of Ascend Health Corporation, has facilities in Denton and Carrollton. It features specialty programs such as Breaking Free with Herschel Walker that treats patients with co-occurring issues such as depression and substance abuse; Freedom Care, serving active duty military members, as well as veterans, retirees, and their families; Exclusively Women, which helps women heal together and develop healthy lifestyles and coping skills to manage their emotional lives; and Minirth Adult Services, a faith-based program that merges professional counseling and Biblical principles.
University Behavioral Health serves these segments as well as a broad range of other patients, from children as young as 5 through adolescents, adults, and mature adults. In all its programs, University Behavioral Health relies on evidence-based mental health care, in which evidence gained from scientific methods is applied to medical decision making in order to deliver the most positive outcomes.
About University Behavioral Health
University Behavioral Health provides a supportive, compassionate, and innovative private healing environment of patient-centered care for patients and their families. It is part of Ascend Health Corporation, a national behavioral healthcare company providing a full range of psychiatric services through private hospitals. University Behavioral Health serves the north Texas-Oklahoma region through hospitals in Denton and Carrollton. Private and confidential assessments are provided at no charge. Visit www.ubhdenton.com for more information.
###
Depression and Mental Illness
- Clinical depression is one of the most common mental illnesses. It affects more than 19 million Americans each year.
- Depression results in loss of pleasure from daily life. It can complicate medical conditions, lead to substance abuse, and even suicide.
- Depression can affect a person at any age, and to people of any race or ethnic group.
- The depression rate among middle-aged men is nearly 40 percent – compared with 25 percent for middle-aged women.
- Many people resist treatment because they perceive it to be a personal weakness and they believe they can treat it themselves.
- Depression is associated with physical illness. Twenty-five percent of hospitalized medical patients have depressive symptoms.
- Suicide is the 11th leading cause of death in the U.S. and the third leading cause of death for people ages 10-24. More than 90 percent of those who die by suicide have a diagnosable mental disorder.
Symptoms of Clinical Depression
- Persistent sadness, anxiousness or sullen mood
- Sleeping troubles, too much or too little
- Reduced appetite and weight loss, or overeating and weight gain
- Loss of interest in activities once enjoyed
- Restlessness, irritability
- Difficulty concentrating, remembering or making decisions
- Lack of energy
- Feeling guilty, hopeless or worthless
- Persistent physical symptoms such as chronic pain or digestive disorders
- Thoughts of suicide or death
Five or more symptoms occurring for two weeks or more may indicate clinical depression.
Contact
University Behavioral Health
Kristine Tanzillo
903-865-1078
www.ubhdenton.com
Kristine Tanzillo
903-865-1078
www.ubhdenton.com
Contact
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