Group emphasizes early screening for depression

A nonprofit group hopes to shine light on the importance of mental health with the National Mental Health Screening Day.

“What we want to do is get people to identify this illness early on when it’s easier to treat so that they can have better outcomes,” said Katherine Cruise with Screening for Mental Health.

Symptoms of depression include increased appetite, insomnia and feelings of worthlessness.

“Depression affects nearly 19 million Americans each year. It’s a very common disorder, but it’s also treatable.”

Cruise hopes people will call a mental health professional to schedule a screening for depression.

“It’s important to note it’s not diagnostic. If you score positive, it just means you’re scoring positive for symptoms of depression,” said Cruise.

“The most important thing is that you should follow up with a health care provider for a more in-depth evaluation.”