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Welcome to DBSA Passaic County

We are a mood-disorder self-help support group affiliated with the Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance (DBSA). The mission of DBSA is to improve the lives of people living with a mood disorder, and their loved ones.

People who are living with depression or bipolar disorder (manic depression), and their families and friends, are welcome. Our goal is to help our support group participants towards wellness.

Passaic County Meetings

NOTICE: All peer group meetings have been suspended until further notice.  We will be hosting virtual meetings at the below days and times, starting one hour early for meet and greet and assisting with technical issues, contact the chapter for information. (Posted April 19, 2020)

Evening Groups

When: Mondays, 6:00 PM to 7:30 PM except holidays.
Where:  YMCA Wayne, 1 Pike Drive (Party Room), Wayne, NJ 07470. No meeting 9/2/2019 and 9/28/2019.
Helpful Information: Directions | Support Groups Map

When: Tuesdays, 7:00 PM to 8:00 PM (meet & greet at 6:30 PM) except holidays.
Where: Mental Health Association in Passaic, 404 Clifton Ave, Clifton NJ 07011.
Helpful Information: Directions | Support Groups Map

Day Group
When: Wednesdays, 1:30 PM to 2:30 PM (meet & greet at 1:00 PM) except holidays.
Where: Mental Health Association in Passaic, 404 Clifton Ave, Clifton NJ 07011.
Helpful Information: Directions | Support Groups Map

Our groups and meetings are:

  • led by trained facilitators who are peers, that is, individuals with a mood disorder.
  • open to family and friends with or without the person living with a disorder.
  • an empowering experience that is free of charge with no pre-registration required.
  • NOT a therapy group ; we do NOT give professional advice, but we DO share mutual experiences to educate and support each other.

* Voluntary donations are welcome to defray cost of rent, ordering booklets and brochures, making photocopies, as well as holding social events.

There is hope. People living with a mood disorder can be helped by medication and/or therapy. Many people so affected 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:

  • Decreased or increased sleeping
  • Loss of energy and motivation
  • Exaggerated feelings of guilt
  • Unexplained aches and pains or ailments
  • Inappropriate or exaggerated feelings of sadness, hopelessness, anxiety, impending disaster or doom

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.