May 2 - National Anxiety Disorders Screening Day (by Nina)
Today – Wednesday, May 2 – is National Anxiety Disorders Screening Day.
Here's what I've read about this day:
Numerous locations throughout the U.S. and Canada will be offering free and anonymous screening for anxiety and depressions disorders. Qualified mental health
professionals will be on hand to speak with you privately. You will also receive a referral for further examination and treatment, if necessary. Call 1-888-442-2022 to find out where you can go in your area for a screening.
For more information on depression, anxiety and other issues, the following sites offer some interesting information:
Freedom From Fear is a national non-profit mental illness advocacy organization.
Screening for Mental Health is another important site.
Some of the more commonly talked about anxiety disorders are social and other phobias, post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), panic disorder and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD).
Are screenings a good idea? I believe that screenings can be very useful. After all, most of us get regular mammograms, pap smears and have the odd bump here and there taken off and sent to the lab for examination. There are also some good screening tools to help identify if a person is depressed, suicidal, significantly anxious etc. Screenings are a potential preventive measure. In the long run, they can save you time and money and lead to better health.
Some of the literature about public screenings such as National Anxiety Disorders Screening Day stresses that following up with a professional is the way to thoroughly understand screening results.
It is very important to understand, that these tests alone cannot give you a full picture of your emotional temperament and psychological needs. They are, to a degree, a few moments out of context. They do not have the benefit of a 50-minute hour discussion with a professional with the time to really hear about your life and how you experience your anxiety.
Anxiety often accompanies depression. It may be transitional, it may have been something you have experienced for years. There are lots of ways of defining and treating it. So try and avoid walking away from a screening with a diagnosis tattooed on your brain. If your screening raises red flags, be brave, check it out. A good therapist won't make you feel "crazy," they'll help you feel heard. Every person who has OCD or PTSD (ah, we are a world of capital letters aren't we!) has their own version, their own etiology (causes) and their own path to wellness. So, like I said, if you do the screening, consider the results good information to have and follow up with a reputable provider you feel comfortable talking with.
Even when May 2 has past, there is still time for screenings and searching out answers and solutions to emotional difficulties and life problems you may have.
