Counseling and Psychological Services at the University Health Center and the Employee Assistance Program at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln will offer a one-time opportunity Thursday for a depression screening as part of National Depression Screening Day.
CAPS will host the free, anonymous screenings from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. in the Nebraska Union and 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. in Nebraska East Union.
Visitors will watch a 10-minute educational program on clinical depression, then fill out a screening form that consists of 30 questions. All UNL students who complete the screening will also be entered into a drawing for an 8GB iPod Touch.
Both professionals and advanced clinical psychology students will be available to discuss the test results.
Agnes Stairs, a psychology intern with the health center, said she is excited to help give feedback and suggest possible treatments to test takers.
"There are a lot of people out there that are struggling with depression and anxiety," she said. "Maybe they are not comfortable with their problem. Hopefully we can make it easier for them to get the help that they need."
Mary Swoboda, a mental health practitioner at the health center, said the screenings are a good way for someone to talk about any concerns they might have and find out about conditions and treatments
"I hope this will remove the stigma of coming in for counseling," Swoboda said.
The goal of National Depression Screening Day is to call attention to mental health disorders. It also strives to educate people about the signs and symptoms of conditions like depression, bipolar disorder, anxiety and post-traumatic stress disorder, and inform people about the available treatments.
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