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Support Groups for Bipolar Disorder

The manic and depressive mood swings of bipolar disorder (BPD) can't be cured, but with medication and therapy, they can be better managed. Finding a support group is another element of treatment that contributes to quality of life. Support groups for BPD offer the invaluable benefit of encouragement from others with the disorder.

  1. Definition

    • Support groups are a collection of people who have common experiences and come together to provide emotional and moral support for others in the group. Support groups for those with BPD may be physical or virtual, run by a medical professional or moderated by a peer with BPD.

    Locating Physical Groups

    • The best place to start is with the physician who diagnosed your BPD and the person who is providing you with ongoing therapy. They should be able to provide referrals to support groups your area. If they don't, or if you've already tried their recommendations and none were a good fit, other organizations can help. Two groups---the National Association of State Mental Health Program Directors and the U.S. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration---have websites with directories of state and local mental health agencies. If you need to find a support group for a child or adolescent with BPD, you'll find a list of groups on the Child and Adolescent Bipolar Foundation's website.

      Two exceptional national organizations are Mental Health America and the National Alliance for the Mentally Ill (NAMI). Both of these organizations have local affiliates, so you can easily connect with someone who knows the resources in your area. They also offer support groups, so they may have a BPD group in place. (See Resources.)

    Locating Virtual Groups

    • An online search for virtual support groups will result in an overwhelmingly long list of forums. They operate in the same manner as other online forums so for many of them, it is possible to look at their topics, read posts from the most frequent users, and learn the type of communication that takes place. Take enough time to browse until one feels right for you. However, one difference provides a quick way to shorten the list: Some of the forums can be read by anyone surfing the web, while others require registration before allowing access to the forum. Since a well-chosen username guarantees anonymity, this may not be a hindrance, but it may be an important privacy factor.

    Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance

    • The Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance (DBSA) began in 1985 and continues to serve as the nation's leading patient-directed bipolar and depression organization. DBSA offers a toll-free information and referral line, free educational materials, a scientific review board to provide the most up-to-date information, and support groups. The DBSA manages online and real-world support groups. (See Resources.)

    Relevance

    • Joining a BPD support group means finding people who absolutely know the challenges faced by those with the disorder. When you have nowhere else to turn, they are always there. They will not judge behaviors; they will simply offer the help you need to stay the difficult course. The DBSA has 1,000 patient-run support groups with 70,000 people, and 86 percent of them reported that the group had helped them to adhere to treatment.

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