Free, anonymous mood disorder in-person screenings available to students at Holley Academic Center

10:00 am – 1:30 pm and 4:00 pm – 5:30 pm

Thursday, October 10, 2013

Panama City, Fla., October 8, 2013 – Because many people experience the first symptoms of depression during their college years, Florida State University Panama City is offering students a mental health check-up as part of National Depression Screening Day from 10 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. and 4-5:30 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 10, at the Holley Academic Center.

Students will have an opportunity to take a brief, anonymous screening and meet one-on-one with a mental health professional. The screening provides students with insight into symptoms they might be experiencing and offers helpful treatment and referral information, if necessary.           

“Many students don’t realize that if they are frequently experiencing stress and feeling overwhelmed it can lead to developing a mood disorder,” said Nancy Mills, LCSW.“Our in-person mental health check-up offers screenings for depression, bipolar disorder, generalized anxiety disorder and posttraumatic stress disorder. It’s important to seek help early and receive treatment if it is necessary.” 

The fall semester can be an exciting time of growth and discovery for college students, but it also can be a very stressful time, leaving some students feeling overwhelmed. When left unattended, these feelings can lead to more serious problems such as mood disorders including depression, anxiety as well as contribute to unhealthy forms of self-medication.

These symptoms often are exacerbated by the pressure to succeed academically. In addition, other stress factors might include landing a job after graduation and repaying student loans.

Some of the questions included in the screening are:

• Have you lost pleasure in things you used to enjoy?
• Do you have trouble sleeping or eating?
• Do you deliberately avoid social situations?
• Does your mood fluctuate between overly “high” and utterly hopeless?
• Do you suffer from unexplained aches and pains?

National Depression Screening Day is a program of the nonprofit Screening for Mental Health, Inc. (SMH) and is held annually in October as part of Mental Illness Awareness Week. SMH is dedicated to promoting the improvement of mental health by providing the public with education, screening and treatment resources.