Welcome to DBSA Ocean 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.

Ocean County Meetings

Evening Groups
NOTICE: Toms River peer group meetings have been suspended until further notice. We are taking this protective measure due to the coronavirus outbreak. Please stay safe. Please contact the chapter with any questions or concerns. (Posted March 14, 2020)

When: Wednesday and Friday, 7:30 PM to 9:30 PM.
Where: Community Medical Center (Auditorium C), 99 Route 37, Toms River, NJ 08755
Helpful Information: Directions | Support Groups Map

Daytime Group
When: Wednesdays, 12:30 PM to 2:00 PM
Where: Brighter Days Community Wellness Center, 268 Bennetts Mills Road, Jackson, NJ 08527
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.

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”.

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

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.