In conjunction with National Depression Screening Day and Screening for Mental Health, an organization that coordinates mental health programs for various groups, Marquette's Counseling Center today will offer students screenings for depression.

The tests will be administered in Holthusen Hall, room 207, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The entire screening process will take up to a half hour, during which students will be asked to fill out a short questionnaire that can indicate to the staff if there are areas of concern, according to Chris Daood, assistant director of the Counseling Center.

The screenings are for "anybody who feels their mood interfering with their ability to function the way they want to academically or interpersonally," Daood said.

Depression "is a common thing students experience," he said. "If you are experiencing it, we're providing this service to help you out.

"For a first-year student, they are going through a transition, and with any change comes struggle sometimes," Daood said. "Anxiety and stress go up. Your mood can get impacted… There is this other side where you get really down and you can't beat it. Sometimes there is a cause for that (but) there doesn't seem to be any clear trigger for it."

College of Arts & Sciences freshman Erin Wright has not felt depressed but understands that "students who live farther away (from Marquette) can be affected more… if a student can't handle everything, (they) should definitely go to the screening."

Depression can be more common than people think, according to depression expert Michael Wierzbicki, an associate professor and psychology chair. He called depression "the common cold of mental illness."

"The symptoms of depression are common," Wierzbicki said. "Many of us that don't qualify for a diagnosis of major depression can still experience the symptoms of it."

Symptoms can range from behavioral to mental, and there are special difficulties such as limited activity, social isolation and a decreased energy level that can interfere with a person seeking help.

One can also be pessimistic about help or improvement, limiting their ability to get help, Wierzbicki said.

"There is a downward spiral of symptoms that lead to self-defeated actions," Wierzbicki said. This can stop a person's attempt at improvement, no matter how hard the person wishes to seek treatment, he said.

This is one of the reasons Marquette holds the screenings. Members of the community are encouraged to receive "quick screens" in order to find out if they are depressed, Wierzbicki said.

"The health community emphasizes diagnosis of depression by professionals so that (they) are more able to recognize the problem," Wierzbicki said. "Some of the symptoms of depression might be missed by general practitioners."

The Counseling Center's Web site, www.marquette.edu/counseling, also has an online screening program for Marquette students.

Today's depression screening is the first in a series screenings the Counseling Center will offer to students. Anxiety screening is Jan. 26; Eating Disorders Screening Day is Feb. 16, during Love Your Body Week; and Alcohol and Other Drugs Screening is April 6.

This article was published in The Marquette Tribune on October 6, 2005.,”James A. Molnar”

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