According to Mental Health America, clinical depression is a common medical illness affecting more than 19 million American adults each year.

BYU will participate in the 18th annual National Depression Screening Day on October 9th. With various locations throughout campus, including the Wilkinson Center and the Student Athlete Center, the BYU counseling center's clinical staff will conduct free depression screenings, said Tom Golightly, Ph.D., assistant Clinical Professor for the Counseling and Career Center. This is one of the biggest events held by college counseling centers throughout the United States. Each year more than 400 college and university counseling centers sponsor events geared toward increasing college student awareness about the growing numbers of individuals nationwide struggling with depression, suicide and other mental health issues he said.

"Depression Screening Day is a way to make available our services to students," Golightly said. "We want to get students to a place where they can get help. Suicide is the number two leading cause of death in the 15-25 year age range. In the latest data from the year 2005, Utah had the 15th highest rate of all the states."

Golightly explained the importance of National Screening Day. He said, according to the American College Health Association, in any given year depression affects nearly 1 in 10 U.S. college students.

Mental illnesses are serious issues that are treatable. Here at BYU we are dedicated to serving students by providing counseling and therapy for those in need, Golightly said.

"In the past we have found a lot of people who are depressed and don't know about it," said Steve Smith, associate director of the Counseling and Career Center.

Smith explained that the purpose of the screening is to make counseling services available to students and show people that their unhappiness and sadness can be treatable.

"Depression is one of the top reasons why people come to the center," Golightly said. "We have nearly 30 professionals dedicated to individual, couples and group counseling."

Golightly said BYU counseling center's mission is to promote mental wellness by finding people who need counseling. He said the center has helped thousands of students deal with depression and other mental disorders.

"I think sometimes we are taught self-reliance," Golightly said. "We weren't meant to be miserable, we need to seek help to get back where we want to be."



Copyright Brigham Young University 6 Oct 2008