Dr. Denise M. Lovin, psychologist with the Counseling Center, and two volunteers sit at the table to the free depression and anxiety screening Thursday. Photo by Christy Bullins

by NASH DUNN
News Reporter

Appalachian State University’s Counseling and Psychological Services Center administered free depression and anxiety screenings Thursday as part of National Depression Screening Day.

The bi-annual and anonymous screenings were not diagnostic, and instead were used to call attention to prevalence of mental health disorders.

Screenings educated students and faculty about signs and symptoms of mental health disorders, and connected those in need to health care resources, according to a Counseling and Psychological Services document.

After completing a mood questionnaire, attendees met with counselors and health professionals in one of four confidentiality booths in the Calloway Peak Room of Plemmons Student Union. “There are a large amount of people struggling with [mental health] symptoms, but are not getting the proper help they need,” Counseling and Psychological Services Center psychologist Denise M. Lovin said. “The screenings are used to raise awareness about mental illness and inform people of services available.”

Lovin stressed the program provides screening, not counseling, and that attendees are recommended for further counseling when they exhibit signs and symptoms of a mental health disorder.

Psychology instructor Richard P. Wilson said depression and anxiety are “absolutely” common in a collegiate environment.

“In an academic environment, not only do you have a rich source of depression and anxiety, but it takes on different phases at different times,” Wilson said. “It’s a bunch of novel situations that naturally, normally and to some extent healthily, produce stress and tension.”

Photo by Christy Bullins

Depression can be sub-clinical (or minor), Dysthymia (recurrent, or mild), or major. Common symptoms include sleep disturbance, appetite changes, feelings of hopelessness, loss of energy and self-loathing, according to helpguide.org.

“If you think of depression as a creature and a being, it wants you to sit down, on the couch, in the dark, with the TV and the radio off and be miserable,” Wilson said. “It doesn’t want you to move. It doesn’t want you to eat. It doesn’t want you to sleep. It wants you to stay in bed all day long.”

Although Wilson thinks sub-clinical depression and anxiety are normal, he does believe someone showing signs of severe depression should seek counseling.

The Counseling and Psychological Services Center is located on the first floor of the Miles Annas Student Services Building, and has first-come, first-serve walk-in hours Monday through Thursday from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. and Friday from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m.

Photo by Christy Bullins  |  The Appalachian

TrackBack URI for this entry

Comments (0)

Show/Hide comments