Have you been feeling consistently moody or sad? Unable to eat or sleep? Can't relax or concentrate? Do you worry all time? If any of this sounds familiar, you may be suffering from depression or a related mental health issue.

To help you figure out whether your change in mood is just a case of the blues or a health issue that requires treatment, Comprehensive Behavioral Healthcare Inc. (CBHCare) is offering a unique, newly enhanced program in which anyone can go online-at any time, from anywhere-and take anonymous self-assessments for depression, bipolar disorder, generalized anxiety disorder, and posttraumatic stress disorder. These free online screenings are available right now and all year long; click here to begin the screening.

"We are thrilled to be offering our community the new online screening as part of this year's National Depression Screening Day," says Doreen Bobby, LCSW, Director of Counseling Services for CBHCare. "Early assessment and treatment are critical to a person's wellness and recovery. Counseling does not have to be a long term process. CBHCare offers short-term outpatient counseling which is very effective in helping individuals identify and move towards their goals."

Recent help-seeking statistics for online screening participants are encouraging. A study just released by Screening for Mental Health, Inc., followed up with last year's National Depression Screening Day online participants and found that more than half sought depression treatment in the three months following their initial screening.

"These data provide compelling evidence regarding the ability of web-based screening programs to provide individuals in the community with referral resources that lead them into treatment," says Dr. Robert Aseltine, Ph.D., Professor and Director of the Institute for Public Health Research at the University of Connecticut Health Center, who conducted the NDSD study.
As part of the online screening program for CBHCare, participants will answer a series of questions about their moods. Questions may include:

• Have you lost pleasure in things you used to enjoy?
• Do you have trouble sleeping or eating?
• Does your mood fluctuate between overly "high" to sad and hopeless?
• Are you keyed up and anxious all the time?
• Do you suffer from unexplained aches and pains?

After completing a self-assessment, participants receive immediate feedback, as well as referral information on how to access local treatment resources, plus links to related articles and resources.

National Depression Screening Day, held in October as part of Mental Illness Awareness Week, is a program of the nonprofit organization Screening for Mental Health, Inc. Last year, more than 200,000 people attended in-person events nationally.

Founded in 1969 in response to the critical need for counseling services in the community, CBHCare is a private, not-for-profit organization dedicated to providing the highest quality of behavioral healthcare services to the people of New Jersey. Over the past 40 years, CBHCare has expanded its services to all ages - from children to seniors.

With treatment centers in Lyndhurst, Hackensack and River Edge, CBHCare offers quality mental health services including individual and family counseling; rehabilitation; alcohol and substance abuse treatment; the Valley Brook Center for Geriatric Partial Care; residential, and preventive services - making CBHCare one of the most vital and important healthcare resources in northern New Jersey.