Albertans can take a free online mental health screening during National Depression Screening Week, which runs Oct. 5-11 this year.
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The initiative, hosted by the Calgary Counselling Centre, invites people to visit AreYouFeelingOK.com and complete a short standardized questionnaire. It’s part of a program that has been running for two decades and organizers say the goal is as much about reducing stigma as it is about catching symptoms early.
“For the past 20 years, the Calgary Counselling Centre has been involved in this initiative,” said Marcus Cheung, associate director of counselling initiatives with the Calgary Counselling Centre. “The purpose of this is to provide education to reduce stigma and offer free mental health screening to all Albertans who might want to take a moment to check in with how they are feeling.”
How the Screening Works
The quiz is available online in six languages, including English, French, Chinese, Punjabi, Spanish and Ukrainian. Cheung compared it to routine physical checkups most people already take for granted.
“The questionnaire is a screening tool. It is trying to detect the symptoms for depression. It is modelled after the standard physical test that people do. For example, blood pressure or diabetes screening,” Cheung said. “It will ask you, for example, how do you feel that your body was functioning in the past week. Do you have any symptoms of depression? Do you feel irritable? Do you feel hopeless?”
Once someone finishes the quiz, they land in one of three categories: not recommended for further evaluation, recommended, or strongly recommended for follow-up, depending on their score.
Taking the First Step
Cheung said the hardest part is usually just getting started.
“The first step to getting help lies within the individuals,” Cheung said. “People will have to admit that there is an issue and be courageous enough to seek help. Struggling with depression can feel overwhelming but the good news is that depression is highly treatable.”
He added that acting sooner rather than later tends to lead to better outcomes, something local mental health advocates have echoed at events like the recent gathering where Tootoo and Janzen ignited Lloydminster during a mental health event.
Those who want extra support beyond the online quiz have options close to home. Counselling Alberta and the Calgary Counselling Centre both offer further resources online and in person and Lloydminster residents can access local support through Pathways to Wellness, which offers walk-in services. Albertans can also reach the provincial mental health and addiction support line launched earlier this year for another way to connect with help.
The screening week arrives a few months after the Border City marked another milestone in community mental health care, when Lloydminster’s maternal mental health events marked 11 years of supporting new parents.
Residents can take the free, anonymous screening any time during the week at AreYouFeelingOK.com.
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