Welcome to DBSA Ocean County in Toms River and Jackson Township

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, from a lay person's perspective.

Group meetings are held every Wednesday and Friday from 7:30 PM to 9:30 PM at Community Medical Center on Rte 37 in Toms River in Auditorium C. No pre-registration is required.

We also have a daytime group that meets at the Jackson Township Senior Center. We are meeting on the 2nd and 4th Thursdays of the month in the pool room (that's as in billiards) from 12:30 PM to 2:00 PM. Contact Maureen at 732-536-5826 or mfalkowitz27@gmail.com for information about this meeting.

Please follow the links on the left side of this page for more information.

Our groups and meetings are:

• led by "peer" trained facilitators (peer = other patients with a mood disorder)

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

• free of charge* and no pre-registration required

• an empowering experience free of charge and no pre-registration required

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

• provide literature, including brocures published by DBSA national organization

• NOT a therapy group led by a mental health professional and do NOT give advice - we just share mutual experiences to educate and support each other.
   

* Voluntary donations are welcome, to help defray the cost of national affiliation of the group, ordering brochures, making photocopies and other expenses.

Mood disorders can often be controlled by medication. In addition, psychotherapy can be very helpful. Many people have been successfully stabilized on medication and lead normal lives, and participate in our support group to help others. Support groups help during recovery. "You are not alone, we can help".

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.