David Baxter PhD
Late Founder
Mass online checkup targets mental health
Apr 4, 2006
by Christian Cotroneo, The Toronto Star
Quick test can help detect mood disorders
Agency says: 'You can't wish depression away'
About 300,000 people will be wading into a virtual doctor's office in what may be the biggest mass checkup in North America.
Starting today, the Mood Disorders Association of Ontario is inviting Greater Toronto to take an online test called Check Up from the Neck Up, designed to detect a broad range of mood disorders.
"We believe this campaign is the widest-reaching campaign of its kind anywhere in North America that focuses on checking your mental health as part of a normal health-care routine," says Ellen Ostofsky, director of development for the Mood Disorders Association of Ontario.
And there's little point in ignoring those friendly reminders, with everyone from Mayor David Miller to the Toronto Argonauts signing up to get the word out.
"Taking the checkup is a great idea," said Miller. "It's a quick, easy and confidential way for people to assess their mental health and access invaluable resources. It can be as important as taking charge of your physical health, yet too often goes forgotten or gets overlooked."
The advertising blitz began this week, with three different posters on TTC subway cars, on display at stations, in GO trains and Cineplex theatre lobbies, as well as on monitors in doctors' offices ? not to mention a series of radio spots on just about every major radio station.
"You are going to see it everywhere," Ostofsky says.
Because of the nature of the Internet, the test ? which officially kicks off Thursday and runs for three months ? will not be restricted to Greater Toronto residents.
"Our print and audio campaign is entirely in the GTA, but as you know the web is accessible to all," Ostofsky says. "We do believe that we will in fact have traffic on that website from many, many places."
But all the marketing muscle will be confined to the GTA. The website, checkupfromtheneckup.ca, is also supported by a list of local and provincial organizations, including Sunnybrook and Women's College Health Sciences Centre, the Ontario Psychological Association, the Ontario College of Family Physicians and the Ontario Pharmacists' Association.
It's a high-profile push for an illness that does the most damage when it goes undetected.
About 3 million Canadians suffer depression at any given time, but fewer than a third of them seek treatment.
"The problem with these illnesses is when people don't come to grips with it," says Karen Liberman, executive director of the Mood Disorders Association of Ontario.
"You can't wish cancer away. You can't wish diabetes away; you can't with cholesterol. You can't wish depression away. Eventually these illnesses take hold in the brain's chemistry. They become more and more complex to treat."
In the early stages, a mood disorder ? which ranges from clinical depression to bipolar disorder to obsessive-compulsive or anxiety disorder ? may be treated by a family doctor or a counsellor, recommending simple changes to a patient's lifestyle.
But as the condition becomes more serious ? as we allow it to take hold in the brain and try to live through it ? the results can be compared to any disease that has gone untreated for too long.
"If you see something growing on your skin, for God's sake, don't wait until it grows to the size of a silver dollar," Liberman says. "That's what really drives me crazy. It's a physical illness of brain chemistry. Why wouldn't you tend to it the same way?"
Apr 4, 2006
by Christian Cotroneo, The Toronto Star
Quick test can help detect mood disorders
Agency says: 'You can't wish depression away'
About 300,000 people will be wading into a virtual doctor's office in what may be the biggest mass checkup in North America.
Starting today, the Mood Disorders Association of Ontario is inviting Greater Toronto to take an online test called Check Up from the Neck Up, designed to detect a broad range of mood disorders.
"We believe this campaign is the widest-reaching campaign of its kind anywhere in North America that focuses on checking your mental health as part of a normal health-care routine," says Ellen Ostofsky, director of development for the Mood Disorders Association of Ontario.
And there's little point in ignoring those friendly reminders, with everyone from Mayor David Miller to the Toronto Argonauts signing up to get the word out.
"Taking the checkup is a great idea," said Miller. "It's a quick, easy and confidential way for people to assess their mental health and access invaluable resources. It can be as important as taking charge of your physical health, yet too often goes forgotten or gets overlooked."
The advertising blitz began this week, with three different posters on TTC subway cars, on display at stations, in GO trains and Cineplex theatre lobbies, as well as on monitors in doctors' offices ? not to mention a series of radio spots on just about every major radio station.
"You are going to see it everywhere," Ostofsky says.
Because of the nature of the Internet, the test ? which officially kicks off Thursday and runs for three months ? will not be restricted to Greater Toronto residents.
"Our print and audio campaign is entirely in the GTA, but as you know the web is accessible to all," Ostofsky says. "We do believe that we will in fact have traffic on that website from many, many places."
But all the marketing muscle will be confined to the GTA. The website, checkupfromtheneckup.ca, is also supported by a list of local and provincial organizations, including Sunnybrook and Women's College Health Sciences Centre, the Ontario Psychological Association, the Ontario College of Family Physicians and the Ontario Pharmacists' Association.
It's a high-profile push for an illness that does the most damage when it goes undetected.
About 3 million Canadians suffer depression at any given time, but fewer than a third of them seek treatment.
"The problem with these illnesses is when people don't come to grips with it," says Karen Liberman, executive director of the Mood Disorders Association of Ontario.
"You can't wish cancer away. You can't wish diabetes away; you can't with cholesterol. You can't wish depression away. Eventually these illnesses take hold in the brain's chemistry. They become more and more complex to treat."
In the early stages, a mood disorder ? which ranges from clinical depression to bipolar disorder to obsessive-compulsive or anxiety disorder ? may be treated by a family doctor or a counsellor, recommending simple changes to a patient's lifestyle.
But as the condition becomes more serious ? as we allow it to take hold in the brain and try to live through it ? the results can be compared to any disease that has gone untreated for too long.
"If you see something growing on your skin, for God's sake, don't wait until it grows to the size of a silver dollar," Liberman says. "That's what really drives me crazy. It's a physical illness of brain chemistry. Why wouldn't you tend to it the same way?"
. It does say at the end to do another check up in 6 months to see where you are at and I think I probably will.
