UAMS will offer free screenings for depression on National Depression Screening Day, Thursday, Oct. 10, between noon and 1 p.m.

The screenings will be in Freeway Medical Tower, Suite 600, at South University Avenue and West 10th Street in Little Rock. Mental health professionals from the UAMS Department of Psychiatry will conduct the screenings. Registration is not required.

The screenings will be totally anonymous. Each will provide the opportunity to listen to a short educational presentation about depression, to complete a written questionnaire and to speak privately with a mental health professional. When appropriate, patients will be referred to professionals for comprehensive evaluation.

Depression is a serious mood disorder that affects almost 20 million Americans. Current theories indicate that the condition may be associated with an imbalance of brain chemicals that carry communications between mood-controlling nerve cells and other bodily systems. Additional factors that may play a role in depression include medications; other medical illnesses; negative life experiences, such as stress and loss; and certain personality traits and genetic factors.

There are many signs and symptoms of depression:

• Persistent sad, anxious or empty mood
• Feelings of hopelessness or pessimism
• Feelings of guilt, worthlessness or helplessness
• Loss of interest or pleasure in ordinary activities
• Decreased energy level or a feeling of fatigue
• Difficulty concentrating or making decisions
• Restlessness or irritability
• Inability to sleep or oversleeping
• Changes in appetite or weight
• Unexplained aches and pains
• Thoughts of death or suicide

The UAMS screenings will be part of National Depression Screening Day (NDSD), which is held annually during Mental Illness Awareness Week. NDSD follow-up studies demonstrate that this program is effective in motivating people who screen positive for depression to seek treatment. The founding sponsors of NDSD include the American Psychiatric Association, the National Mental Health Association, the National Institute of Mental Health and the National Alliance for the Mentally Ill.

# # #

For more information:
Leslie W. Taylor, 501-686-8998
Wireless phone: 501-951-7260
taylorlesliew@uams.edu

Jerri Jackson, 501-686-8149
terryjerrijackson@uams.edu