I have belonged to a support group since February of 2008. Granted, I don't remember much of when I first started going because I was still recovering from my manic episode. I belong to a branch of the Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance. Their website is at www.dbsalliance.org , where you can find a support group near you.
Support group has provided me an outlet in which to ask questions about medications, get information about what manic and depressive episodes typically look like, air my frustrations, and just generally talk out any issues I am having at the time. I typically go twice a week and it has been an invaluable experience for me just to know other individuals with bipolar disorder to relate to.
I highly recommend the DBSA, but they are not the only support group around. There is also NMHA located at www.nmha.org and the National Alliance on Mental Health at www.nami.org . I have not used their support groups but their web pages are very informative and helpful.
Another form of support you may want to consider is going to a therapist or a psychologist in addition to your psychiatrist. Typically this is someone who will meet with you once a week for a 50 minute period to discuss your issues in further depth. Psychiatrist appointments are usually only fifteen minutes in length, not long enough to delve into important matters.
I have experience with psychologists, but I do not currently have one. I lucked out with my psychiatrist, he is a very caring individual and gives me adequate time to discuss things even if we run a little over the fifteen minutes. In return, I don't get upset when he is late to an appointment because he is tending to another patient.
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