Most general practitioners can administer mental health
screenings during an annual checkup. Would you be offended if
someone told you to get your brain checked out? Doctors
worldwide are asking you to not be. A new study from the
University of Cambridge suggests everyone should get their
mental health checked as often as they have an annual physical.
Essentially, treat your brain just like any other organ.
"Unfortunately, most people don't address mental health issues
until they are drastically interfering with their lives," said
Dr. Nizar El-Khalili, medical director of Alpine Clinic in
Lafayette, Ind. "If they were just more aware of mental health
from the start, problems could be avoided long before it
complicates their lives and costs them thousands of dollars."
Mental health screenings can be administered during most annual
checkups. Some doctors always screen their patient's mental
health, but El-Khalili recommends that all patients, no matter
their age or family medical history, ask for a screening du