Return to Compass Features for November 5, 1996
Feeling a little depressed once in a while is something normal, especially this time of year, as fall and winter days get shorter. But sometimes those feelings interfere with work or home life, or they do not go away.
That's where Penn's Faculty/Staff Assistance Program (F/SAP) comes in. The program takes phone calls from Penn people who might be suffering from depression and then helps them cope. Under this program, which is in its second year, counseling on depression is only a phone call away, every Tuesday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. from Oct. 15 until Dec. 10.
Sometimes it's hard for people to recognize that their symptoms are severe enough to warrant help.
"When people feel sad all the time, or discouraged about the future, uninterested in sex, unable to get work done, or more tired than usual, they can give us a call," said Dr. Carol Bennet-Speight, director of F/SAP. "Our job is to determine how serious is the situation and give them help and guidance."
The monitoring and handling of early symptoms of depression help people better deal with their lives and jobs. And early intervention can prevent the development of problems such as alcohol and drug abuse.
Sometimes people are concerned that calling F/SAP might interfere with their career or reputation.
"In general people are nervous about calling a counseling program in their workplace," said Bennet-Speight. "Suppose you are applying for a promotion and you are getting these feelings of depression. You might not want your future supervisor to learn about the way you're feeling. We want to remove any obstacles between people and the help they need and provide options to those who fear the stigma often attached to depression.
"In our program Penn people call and receive help on the phone without having to reveal their names. If more than a phone conversation is needed, they can come to our office and get from three to six therapy sessions, all confidential and paid by Penn as a benefit to its employees. Or if they feel uncomfortable about using our services we refer them to outside counseling services."
During a depression-related call, the counselor asks a standard set of questions that have been nationally approved in determining the degree of depression a person is suffering. The counselor scores the answers and establishes a preliminary judgment on how depressed the caller is, based on pre-established standards.
"If the counselor considers the caller is undergoing severe or extreme depression, he or she will ask the caller to come immediately to Blockley Hall to talk with a therapist," Bennet-Speight said. "If the caller doesn't want to do that, the counselor will give him or her a list of emergency phone numbers for counselors and clinics not related to the university. If the case is milder, the counselor offers help at Penn or other alternatives."
Calls to F/SAP are handled by professional counselors with advanced training in psychology, family therapy and drug or alcohol therapy. They are licensed by the state of Pennsylvania, said Bennet-Speight.
Last year about 50 callers made use of the depression phone line, increasing the volume of new cases for the fiscal year 1995-1996 by 20 percent.
Besides helping with depression, the F/SAP office helps with personal and workplace issues such as grief from the loss of a loved one, career concerns and workplace conflict.
F/SAP DEPRESSION HOTLINE
Tuesdays, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., to Dec. 10
898-7910
Return to Compass Features for November 5, 1996