Get screened
Many people do not seek treatment in the early stages of a mental health condition because they don't recognize the symptoms.
84% of the time between first symptoms and first treatment is spent not recognizing the symptoms.
16% of the time is spent getting help(1).
The delays in treatment for brain health are longer than for many other health conditions(2-4). The delay in treatment for some are:
Anxiety Disorders: 9 to 23 years
Mood Disorders: 6 to 8 years
Psychosis: 1 to 2 years
Screening can help catch mental health problems early—B4Stage4. Screening is an anonymous, free and private way to learn about your mental health and if you are showing warning signs of a mental health condition.
A screening only takes a few minutes, and after you are finished you will be given information about the next steps you should take based on the results. A screening is not a diagnosis, but it can be a helpful tool for starting a conversation with your doctor or a loved one about your mental health.
MHAScreening
MHAScreening.org uses proven tools to check for symptoms of depression, anxiety, mood disorders and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder.
90 percent of people who started a screen at MHAScreening.org completed a screen and got immediate results.
66 percent of people who took a screening scored moderate to severe. Of those, over 60% had never been diagnosed.
Screening Effectiveness
Getting screened increases the chances of getting treatment.
When positive screening results were given during a primary care visit, doctors were over 3 times more likely to recognize the symptoms and to plan to follow up with the patient.
Treatment following screening has been shown to reduce symptoms, and the positive effects of treatment are still seen a year later (5-7).
Early Intervention Is Cost Effective
The earlier that mental health problems are caught and treated, the less it costs and the better the results.
