My dad was not a huge television watcher, but every once and a while a show would hook him. As his love for M.A.S.H. reruns waned, he found himself addicted to an old cop show "Hill Street Blues."
The show would usually begin with the early-morning "roll call," during which officers gather together in a room to discuss cases, exchange information and give announcements. At the conclusion of this meeting on Hill Street, the officer in charge, Sgt. Phil Esterhaus, would pause and finish with the phrase, "Let's be careful out there." This line became famous, and with good reason. While life is a wonderful gift, we don't know what may be coming around the corner; we begin to feel this need for caution, a need to be careful "out there."
Oct. 9 marked national depression screening day. At a weekly event called the "Medical Center Hour", a woman named Inez Okrent told a group of health care professionals and other members of the Charlottesville community the story of her son David, a student at Harvard in the late 1990s, who committed suicide while away at school.
Her heart-wrenching story was followed by a lecture by Russ Federman, University director of counseling and psychological services, who presented facts and figures that were truly stunning: For example, statistics show that about 1 in 10 college and university students are depressed.Perhaps, in light of these numbers, it is time that we starting heeding Sgt. Esterhaus' message.
One major weapon against depression is a rather simple one: Awareness. This not only means awareness of the symptoms, but even more so, awareness of those around you. One of the difficult aspects of depression is that it is an illness which affects a person's ability to perceive and process information. One can imagine the problem this causes in trying to have people screen themselves; sure, they can tell they feel unhappy, but often the other messages -- that there is hope, that these are not feelings that all people experience, that they will not be thought crazy for seeking help -- get lost and/or distorted as they are processed in the person's mind.
Thus, we see the real necessity in the prevention of untreated depression -- that we learn to look out for one another.
In medical school, we learn an odd acronym for the symptoms of depression, SIG E. CAPS.The symptoms are the following: Sleep (usually decreased, contrary to popular notions; early morning awaking is common), Interest (decreased interest in daily activities), Guilt (persistent, debilitating), Energy (decreased), Concentration (also decreased), Appetite (usually decreased), Psychomotor slowing (the only medical term in the group; this refers to a feeling of moving and/or thinking in a slow manner, almost as if one has the weight of the world on his or her shoulders), and finally Suicidal thoughts.
It is possible to screen yourself using these criteria, but, more importantly, you should also watch for them in your friends, especially if you begin to notice someone becoming more reclusive and/or more emotional than usual.
The use of this screening is not an exact science, but it can be very useful as a warning that your friend is not just having a string of bad days, but instead may be in need of additional help.
Along with being familiar with the signs and symptoms of depression, you should also be aware of the services that the University already has in place should you be concerned about yourself or others. These resources can be accessed easily at www.virginia.edu/studenthealth. To find more information, including an on-line screening form for depression, simply click on the Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) link.Enrolled students who have paid the Student Health fee are eligible to receive assistance from CAPS at no charge.
If a situation arises during a weekend or after 5 p.m. that you feel is non-life threatening but nonetheless requires immediate assistance, you may contact the Student Health after-hours answering service by dialing 972-7004.Of course, if you feel that a person's life may be at risk (i.e. you fear a suicide attempt is likely to take place soon, or is already taking place), you should always call 911 first.
Treatments have become increasingly successful over the past years with the advent of better anti-depressants, and talking to someone about your concerns is as easy as picking up the phone; rarely will health care be as readily available as it is for you now.College is an exciting, challenging, unique time, but as the statistics show, it can also be a dangerous one in relation to mental health. So, good luck with midterms everyone, and remember -- let's be careful out there.
Patrick Jones is a Master student in Bioethics. His column appears biweekly in the Health & Science section of The Cavalier Daily.
Read More
Students have federal internship offers rescinded due to hiring freeze
By Nina Broderick | YesterdayUntil July 15, no presently vacant federal civilian positions may be filled, and no new positions may be created.
Man dies from self-inflicted gunshot wounds at the Rotunda
By Ford McCracken | YesterdayThe investigation is ongoing, and additional details are not available at this time.
Virginia primary elections feature contested race for Democratic Lt. Gov. candidate
By Nicolas Biernacki | 2 days agoEligible voters can find more information about early voting by consulting the City Department of Voter Registration & Elections website or the County Department of Elections website.
