SAN DIEGO -- Authorities asked the public Thursday to be on the lookout for a possibly despondent 50-year-old North County woman who has been missing for nearly a week.

At the time of her disappearance last Friday, Joann Giancola of Oceanside was depressed about "personal issues" and possibly suicidal, police spokeswoman Kim Rainwater said.

Giancola, who recently made statements about wanting to visit Rosarito Beach in Baja California, took only her purse when she left her home in her red 1998 Volvo four-door sedan, California license No. 3XHT810.

"She did not take any personal belongings, including her phone or necessary medications," Rainwater said.

Giancola has made frequent outings to Southland tribal casinos and once was found wandering downtown San Diego.

She is Latina, 5 feet 6 inches tall, weighs 140 pounds, with brown eyes and straight, black shoulder-length hair.

Anyone spotting a woman matching Giancola's description was asked to notify police.