Anxiety Screening Day

On Thursday, March 10, University Health & Psychological Services will offer a special opportunity to learn how to recognize the signs of anxiety disorders and to participate in a free screening as part of College Anxiety Screening Day.

The free program will be held in Area E of the University Health and Psychological Services Center from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. It will be open to students, faculty, and staff, as well as to the general public.

Participants will hear a brief talk on the causes, symptoms and treatments of anxiety, followed by a short video. They will also complete an anonymous anxiety checklist and have a brief, individual review of the checklist with a counselor. This meeting will be confidential. As in other health screenings, the focus is on education and symptom detection.

Anxiety comes in many forms. College Anxiety Screening Day will screen for five different anxiety disorders: Social Phobia, which is an extreme fear of social situations; Panic Disorder, which involves panic attacks; Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, which may include persistent unwanted thoughts and/or repeated checking; Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, which occurs after a traumatic event and can involve nightmares and flashbacks about the event; and Generalized Anxiety Disorder, which involves chronic and persistent feelings of stress and worry.

Treatment for anxiety can involve medication, but does not have to.  Psychotherapy techniques, such as cognitive-behavioral therapy and counseling, are very effective for treating anxiety. Studies show that both medicinal and therapy-based treatments for anxiety have consistent success rates.

Call 8-6764 for more information.