© News the other press e KHellyParry e kelly-lee_parry@telus.net October 8, 2003 Depression Screening Day Karla Olson OP Contributor On October 9, 2003, Depression Screening Day will take place at 70 locations across BC. Its aim is to increase aware- ness about the signs of depression in its various forms and other related conditions such as anxiety disorders, drug, or alcohol dependence. One site for this event will be held at David Lam Campus and Pinetree Community Centre in Coquitlam (for a complete listing go to ). Issues at this venue will focus on youth and young adults. “Depression, the common cold of psychiatry, is not just a fad,” says Nancy Maloney, a Douglas College instructor and co-organizer of the event, “and its increase in occurrence could be a result of our lifestyle.” Maloney refers to Michael J. Norden’s book, Beyond Prozac, which proposes that the stresses of modern-day life could be the main contributing factor to the depletion of serotonin, the body chemical linked to sleep function and mood states. What can students expect from this event? In the David Lam foyer from 9a.m. to 1p.m. there will be a booth staffed by counsellors and psychologists to provide information, brochures, and questionnaires. At Pinetree Community Centre from 1p.m. to 2:30p.m., there will be a presentation by four speakers: actress Victoria Maxwell, who will talk about her experiences with bipolar ill- ness, her treatment, and recovery; psychiatrist Dr. Jane Garland from BC’s Children’s Hospital, will provide infor- mation about mood and anxiety disorders; Dr. Dave Atwood from the Fraser Heath Authority will provide information regarding early psychosis intervention; and pediatrician Dr. Sal Denny will talk about substance abuse in youth and young adults. Also at Pinetree Community Centre from 3p.m. to 4p.m., a question and answer period involving the speakers and four secondary school students. According to Maloney, “at one of the booths there will be several questionnaires available for depressing screening because different groups of people express symptoms of depression in different ways. For example,” says Maloney “recent immigrants with Asian and Indian backgrounds tend to express their symptoms more physiologically so there are questionnaires specially designed to reflect these symptoms.” There will also be questionnaires and brochures designed specifically for children and youth. As hard as it is to imag- ine, last year 31 youths in BC between the ages of 12 and 19 committed suicide, a consequence of extreme depression. So what happens with the questionnaires once they are complete? Participants can go talk privately about the results with a mental health professional. A list of resources, accord- ing to the needs of the participant, will be provided and stu- dents can book an appointment with Douglas College coun- sellors. “People are often reluctant to get help,” says Maloney, “because of the fear of being stigmatized.” She says that the consequences of not getting help are far reaching, which can include loss of quality of life, an inability to express one’s tal- ents and potential, and for acute depression, harm to oneself. “The mind and body interact,” says Maloney, so not sur- prisingly, “with psychological therapies people are less likely to relapse than those just on medication.” Maloney says, “For others this event provides an opportunity to further one’s education about a topic in today’s society.” Maloney discov- ered that there is not one secondary school that hasn't lost at least one student to suicide Depression Screening and Education phone line for BC Toll free number 1.866.917. HOPE (4673) Websites about mental health issues: Page 4 e _hittp://www.otherpress.ca NDP Leadership Tour Visits New West Thomas Fairley OP Contributor The evening of September 30 was an important one for the provincial New Democratic Party (NDP). Held in the conference room of the Canadian Auto Workers regional union office in New Westminster, the month-long NDP Leadership Tour had its final session on Tuesday night. The Tour is a lead up to the NDP Leadership Convention on November 21-23 and the provincial election in 2005. Leonard Krog and Carole James were the lead- ership candidates who most articulately answered the array of standard specific questions ranging from the preservation of wild salmon stocks to the re-implementation of the photo radar system, while tackling the predestined topic of the hour: our Liberal government. An argumentative benchmark for each leadership candidate that night was a personalized rant on how the Liberals are destroying the province of British Columbia. Some vocal assaults were louder and more force- ful, like that of candidate Mehdi Najari. But the underlying theme of the convention, made clear in each candidate’s platform, was a plan for “radi- cal change in reverse” as candidate Steve Orcherton put it. Leonard Krog, a lawyer in Nanaimo since 1980, stood as Member of Legislative Assembly for Parksville/Qualicum from 1991 to 1996 under the NDP government of Mike Harcourt. Krog rarely looked at his speech notes as he made firm and direct responses throughout the evening. Leonard Krog made a point of his being the third generation of NDP/CCF members in his family. Krog connected with a full house of supporters and at one point provoked roaring laughter from the crowd through his comedic relationship with fellow candidates Craig Keating and Nils Jensen. When one of the audience-led questions, con- cerning the voice of women in the coming elec- tion, came around to Leonard Krog, he became defensive. “I stand here before you today as a feminist,” Krog remarked. Leonard Krog was either truly the most confident member of the panel or was the best at hiding his apprehension. Carole James is currently Vice-President of the Canadian School Boards Association, and Coordinator with the Northern Aboriginal Authority for Families. James ran for MLA of Victoria/Beacon Hill in 2001 and is now the sole female contender for leadership of the provincial NDP. James was fiercely intelligent in her verbal attacks on the BC Liberals much like current sole NDP MLAs Jenny Kwan and Joy MacPhail, who stepped down as provincial NDP leader in July. Carole James exhibited the rock-solid attitude similar to that of former federal NDP Leader Alexa McDonough and adamantly advocated for the protection of the Interior of BC. James reminded an attentive audience of the hospital and elementary school closures since the Liberal party was elected in October of 2001, and the fact that public transit in the North of the province is “non-existent.” Carole James was heard above the rest. Candidates Nils Jensen, Craig Keating, and Mehdi Najari may have drawn scattered applause, but all ears were lent to James. With the exception of Peter Dimitrov, all seven candidates displayed in their addresses the tradi- tional NDP ideals reminiscent of the party’s orig- inal self, the Cooperative Commonwealth Federation (CCF). Candidates: Carole James, Peter Dimitra, Medhi Najari, Steve Orcherton, Nils Jensen, Leonard Krog, Craig Keating Want to double your chances of surviving a crash? Simple. Wear your seat belt. If you don't, all bets are off. rt clickingin www.icbe.com SAVE LIVES