On Oct. 9, 2008 Calgary Counselling Centre made strides to end depression.
Provided free to Calgarians, Oct 9 was National Depression Screening Day (NDSD) in Calgary, designed to educate the public about symptoms of depression, while offering individuals the opportunity to be screened, with complete anonymity, for depression.
I missed the test - what can I do?
You're welcome to contact Calgary Counselling Centre's Call Centre through our online Intake form, or by calling the Call Centre directly (403.691.5991). We'd be happy to connect you with a counsellor who can talk to you about depression. Our sliding fee scale can make this very affordable for you.
Early screening can detect depression before it has any devastating effect on your professional, family or community life.
Depression isn’t caused by personal weakness, laziness or lack of willpower. It is a medical illness that can be treated. The first step to overcoming it, is acknowledging it.
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The Results - NDSD 2008:
Stay tuned, while we analyze our results - we'll post them here soon.
Who took the test in 2007?
The primary audience was Calgarians aged 20-49, making up 74 per cent of respondents (mean age for men = 39; mean age for women = 37), with two-thirds (66 per cent) of those taking the test being female. A total of 43 per cent of participants were married, 32 per cent were never married and 24 per cent were divorced/separated, living with a partner or widowed.
Overall, one in five respondents (20 per cent) were "strongly recommended" for further evaluation, with another 41 per cent "recommended", for a total of 61 per cent.
Who were the highest risk populations in 2007?
- Younger respondents tended to score higher on the depression screening tool, with two-thirds (67 per cent) of respondents under 30 recommended for further evaluation, compared to 56 per cent of those 30 or over.
- In addition, divorced/separated men scored higher than divorced/separated women (32 vs. 23 per cent in "evaluation strongly recommended").
Facts – NDSD 2008 – Oct. 9, 2008:
Online screening was available Thursday Oct. 9, 2008 (midnight to midnight) or through calling the Centre directly at 403.265.4980 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. NOTE: If you require more immediate help, please contact our Call Centre (403.691.5991), or complete our Intake form online.
- Proclamation by the City of Calgary and Mayor’s office: October 9, 2008 was National Depression Screening Day.
- Calgary Counselling Centre launches "at work" program, encouraging companies to offer the voluntary screening to their employees, demonstrating their dedication to employee mental health.
- Calgary Counselling Centre DOES NOT accept drug company money to offer this free service for Calgarians
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Is this new for Calgary Counselling Centre?
No, as one of only four service providers in Canada and the only Western Canadian provider, Oct. 9, 2008, was the fourth consecutive National Depression Screening day hosted by Calgary Counselling Centre.
Why only one day?
Calgary Counselling Centre is part of a north american initiative for this promotional day offered during mental health week. Founded in 1991, by Douglas Jacobs, a clinical psychiatry professor at Harvard Medical School, Calgary Counselling Centre purchases the rights from Screening for Mental Health, Inc. to be a National Depression Screening Day host.
NDSD does not attempt to offer a diagnosis, but points out to participants the presence or absence of depressive symptoms and offers a referral for further evaluation.
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Symptoms of Depression
The following are symptoms of depression (may be present to different extents in different combinations). Including and not limited to:
- Decreased energy, fatigue
- Inability to sleep or oversleeping
- Restlessness or irritability
- Difficulty with concentration and memory
- Feelings of sadness, anxiousness, hopelessness or pessimism
- Feelings of guilt, worthlessness or helplessness
- Loss of interest or pleasure in ordinary activities
- Changes in appetite or weight (up or down)
- Unexplained aches and pains
- Worsening of coexisting chronic disease
- Slow Speech; slow movements
- Thoughts of death or suicide.
NDSD in the media
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