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Office of External Communications |
Houston, TX 77204-5017 Fax: 713.743.8199 |
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE |
Contact: Contact:
Mike Emery |
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Screenings Open to Public on Anxiety Disorders Screening Day Anxiety disorders affect 40 million people nationwide, including 30 percent of veterans who have spent time in war zones. Often, the key in overcoming these psychological ailments is early diagnosis and immediate treatment. The University of Houston’s Psychology Research and Services Center (PRSC) will host free anxiety disorder screenings as part of Anxiety Disorders Screening Day from 9 a.m. – 8 p.m. on Thursday, May 3. The screenings are open to the public and will be conducted by clinical psychology doctoral students, under the supervision of professional psychologists. Tests are conducted in English and are for adults only, but PRSC gives referrals for screenings for Spanish-speaking individuals or children. The individual screenings will each last about 20 – 30 minutes and require participants to view a short video, fill out a questionnaire and participate in a discussion with student screeners. Screening responses will indicate either possible clinical anxiety levels or no distinct symptoms related to anxiety disorders. Although no official diagnosis can be made through screenings, recommendations for further evaluation will be made for participants identified with clinical anxiety levels. Likewise, participants with such symptoms will be provided with therapy referrals and information on treatment options. UH offers individual and group therapy for excessive anxiety, and
services are available for adults and children. These low-cost services
are available to the Houston community. Contact the UH Anxiety Disorder
Clinic at Anxiety disorders consist of excessive apprehension and fears that often cause people to take drastic measures to avoid the things they fear most. Forms of anxiety disorders include: panic disorder, social anxiety disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder, generalized anxiety disorder and obsessive-compulsive disorder. “Fears created by anxiety disorders can range from specific places, objects, animals, disturbing thoughts, memories, embarrassment or humiliation,” said Peter Norton, director of UH’s Anxiety Disorder Clinic and assistant professor of psychology. “They will often try to control their anxiety by avoiding the things they fear, or by doing things to reduce their anxiety such as asking for reassurance, checking and re-checking, washing, or telephoning loved ones to make sure they are safe. Approximately 25 percent of Americans are diagnosed with anxiety disorders in their lifetime.”
For more information about UH visit the university’s ‘Newsroom’ at www.uh.edu/admin/media/newsroom. |
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