BIPOLAR SUPPORT GROUP

The Bipolar Support Group is for individuals with Bipolar Disorder, friends and family members. The group meets the second Monday of the month from 6:30 to 8:30 pm at the Community Campus in Portsmouth, NH on the lower level. The first hour is dedicated to providing education on Bipolar Disorder. The second hour consists of splitting the group into two separate support groups, one for those with the disorder and the other for friends and family members.

About Bipolar Disorder
Bipolar Disorder, or Manic Depressive Illness, crosses all ethnic, racial economic and gender lines. The disorder often strikes first in adolescence, but can occur at any age. Symptoms can include sleeplessness, depression alternating with periods of elation, or hyperactivity, rapid speech, withdrawal and other symptoms. There is very effective treatment for bipolar disorder, but personal acceptance of the illness and adherence to treatment are necessary for good outcomes. Many famous, creative and successful people deal with Bipolar Disorder and lead very full lives. Based on the Surgeon General’s Report on Mental Illness (1999), it is estimated that in the Seacoast area, over 1,300 people have this disorder.

The Erik Cogswell Memorial Bipolar Conference
Four years ago, Erik Cogswell, a young man from New Castle, committed suicide in the woods of Durham. His friends and family gave funds, in his memory, for the first regional conference on bipolar illness. The goal of the memorial fund is to educate, support and provide resources for people recovering from bipolar illness, their families, friends, and the community at large.

Each year, Seacoast Mental Health Center, Inc. with the support of generous corporate and private contributors and numerous volunteers, sponsors an annual conference on bipolar disorder. Nationally known professionals have keynoted this conference including Kay Redfield-Jamison, Ph.D. and Peter Jensen, M.D. The topics have ranged from suicide, depression, and bipolar disorder in children and youth. For more information about the conference, please visit our Calendar of Events page.

Bipolar Disorder Library And Resources
Seacoast Mental Health Center, Inc. has educational books and videos about Bipolar Disorder and other mental illness available. Please contact Diane Cyr at 603-431-6703 if you are interested in borrowing a book or video. Currently available:

Books:
An Unquiet Mind, Kate Redfield Jamison
Night Falls Fast, Kate Redfield Jamison

Video:
Research Update on Bipolar Disorder
Lack of Awareness of Illness in Neuropsychiatric Disorders
Dead Blue
Journey Through the Shadows
Light Amongst the Shadows
Understanding Relapse: Managing the Symptoms of Schizophrenia