News Release
September 20, 2007
Contact: Carolyn Pennington, 860-679-4864
e-mail:
cpennington@uchc.edu
National Depression Screening Day
Free Mental Health Screenings Offered on October
11
FARMINGTON, CONN. – If you’ve been suffering emotional changes
and don’t feel like yourself, you can take advantage of a special public
service. The University of Connecticut Health Center, Department of
Psychiatry, is holding free, anonymous mental health screenings on
National Depression Screening Day on Thursday, Oct. 11.
“All people feel sad or unhappy at times during their lives, but
persistent sadness may be a sign of depression,” says Health Center
psychiatrist Andrew Winokur, M.D., Ph.D. “Depression is an illness
that often goes untreated even though help is available. It affects
nearly 20 million Americans and can be manifested in obvious
sadness, but often is expressed instead as a loss of pleasure or
withdrawal from activities that were once enjoyable.”
Other symptoms of depression:
- Feelings of hopelessness or pessimism
- Decreased energy, a feeling of fatigue
- Difficulty concentrating or making decisions
- Changes in appetite or weight
- Trouble sleeping
- Unexplained aches and pains
- Thoughts of death or suicide
The free screenings will take place from 8 to 9:30 a.m., noon
to 2 p.m. and 4 to 5:30 p.m. at the Department of Psychiatry in
Farmington at 10 Talcott Notch Road, East Lobby, 3rd Floor.
Participants will view a video on anxiety and depressive disorders,
complete an anonymous screening questionnaire, obtain educational
materials on a variety of psychiatric disorders and have a
confidential meeting with a health care professional. To register
for an appointment call 800-535-6232 or 860-679-7692 or send an
email to ccda@up.uchc.edu.
For other screening sites or more information, call
1-800-520-NDSD (6373) or visit
www.MentalHealthScreening.org.
The University of Connecticut Health Center includes the schools of
medicine and dental medicine, the UConn Medical Group, University
Dentists, and John Dempsey Hospital, a Solucient Top 100 Hospital®
2006. Founded in 1961, the Health Center pursues a mission of
providing outstanding health care education in an environment of
exemplary patient care, research and public service. To learn more about
the UConn Health Center, visit our website at
www.uchc.edu.
Note: News professionals are invited to visit the Office of
Communications homepage at
www.uchc.edu/ocomm/ for archived news releases and other
information.
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