Dana Careless
Manager for Health Promotion
DBHIDS
Picture Citizens Bank Park Stadium. Look around at all of the seats, row after row, filled with over 40,000 spectators. Now, I want you to picture dividing the stadium into four equal parts, each part containing over 10,000 individuals. Statistically speaking, that entire group of people is living with a diagnosable mental health challenge.
Can you imagine if we were talking about a physical health challenge, in which 25% of the attendees at a Phillies game had a broken leg? You can bet the accomodations for the stadium would look a little bit different. But we can’t always see mental health challenges the way we can so clearly see physical health ones. It doesn’t mean they’re not there – they are.
This October, we are asking you to join us in celebrating National Depression Screening Day. We will be in the community, joining partners around the city of Philadelphia and the country, to shatter stigma, screen for a number of common and treatable mental health challenges, make connections to services as needed, and offer resources. Details about locations in your area can be found by going to our calendar.
Don’t see a location you can make but still want to check out a screening or resources? Go to our online screening page to take a quick, free and anonymous screening today. Remember – these screenings are not diagnostic, but they are designed to offer a “check up from the neck up” and will let you know if you have any symptoms consistent with a common diagnosis. Resources are available no matter what.
