About Us______

We are a mood-disorder self-help support group affiliated with the highly respected Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance. DBSA is the largest illness specific patient run organization in the US with over 1,000 groups.

People who are diagnosed with depression or bipolar disorder (manic depression) and their families are welcome. Our goal is to provide information about diagnosis and treatment of this biochemical disorder. Mood disorder can often be controlled by medication. In addition, psychotherapy can be useful. Many people have been successfully stabilized on medication and lead normal lives.

The mission of DBSA Long Beach Island is to improve the lives of people living with mood disorders by providing support and education to those persons whom the group is intended for .

Group meetings are held on the 1st and 3rd Friday of the month from 7:15PM to 9:00PM at the Ocean Club, Family Resource Room, on Route 9 in Stafford.

Our groups are:

• led by peer trained facilitators

• welcome family and friends with or without the patient/consumer

• an empowering experience

• host educational meetings usually with lectures by doctors or other health professionals
   

About Depression & Mania:

Common possible symptoms of depression include:
• changes in appetite
• decreased or increased sleeping
• loss of energy and motivation
• inappropriate or exaggerated feelings of sadness, hopelessness, anxiety, impending disaster or doom
• exaggerated feelings of guilt
• unexplained aches and pains or ailments

Common possible symptoms of mania include:
• impaired judgment
• high energy level and increased activity/talking
• significant decrease in sleeping
• inflated self esteem (grandiosity)
• extreme irritability and/or restlessness

Other symptoms are possible. No one symptom determines the disorder. A psychiatrist or psycho pharmacologist should be consulted for an evaluation.