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Wedgwood Christian Services sheds light on anxiety screenings

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In late September, the U.S. Preventative Services Task Force gave a first-of-its-kind recommendation, saying physicians should screen all adults under the age of 65 for anxiety.

In late September, the U.S. Preventative Services Task Force gave a first-of-its-kind recommendation that physicians should screen all adults under the age of 65 for anxiety.

Screening has become more widely available in recent years, but what exactly is a screening, and what can it tell us?

“It measures severity of anxiety. Are the individuals being bothered by feeling nervous, anxious or on edge? Worrying about different things, difficulty relaxing" Chris Rivera, Vice President of Clinical Services at Wedgwood Christian Services, said. "Depending on how the clients would report on that self report, the scoring grid would allow the provider to know what to do as far as next steps.”

In coordination with its residential, counseling and community programs, Wedgwood Christian Services offers anxiety screenings. Rivera told WGVU it's somewhat comparable to screenings for other mental health diagnoses, like depression. Patients answer seven questions related to frequency of anxiety behaviors they experience. Scores will help determine whether anxiety is mild, moderate or severe.

While Rivera said these screenings are a big help to providers in determining care plans, he told WGVU screenings can also give patients a sense of clarity or relief.

“It’s not uncommon for people to have a kind of moment of breakthrough. This kind of 'ah ha!' moment of 'I’ve always felt like there was something off in this area and now I have kind of a name to a face,'” he explained.

Rivera said a potential increase anxiety diagnoses could be linked to how easily connected humans are to information these days, noting a greater risk of exposure to triggering events. However, he also notes self-reporting is up, stating that with the slow decline of stigma surrounding mental health, more people may feel more comfortable addressing their health care options.

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