Health Diaries > Bipolar Disorder > Handcuffed to the Roller Coaster
February 4, 2005
Support Groups and Depression
Today, a word about support groups. They can be very very good, or very very bad for you, depending on the group. I've been lucky enough to find a good one, but you can't always be sure of finding a good one right off the bat. You need to be careful, and go into a group with both eyes open.
A good support group gives you, well, support. You should feel comfortable within the group, and after a couple of meetings feel safe enough to share everything about yourself. You should trust the group to keep your secrets, give you positive reinforcement and supportive feedback, and intervention when you need it. If you don't get this within the first 3 or 4 meetings, you should find another group.
Finding a good support group is kind of like finding a good therapist. It's kind of hit and miss. You have no choice but to go to a group and feel it out first, to see if you like it, if it's a good fit, and so on. But trust your instincts. If you don't feel comfortable right away, then it's not the group for you.
The best way to know if it's the right group is how they deal with you when you are depressed. If you go into a group feeling really down, and they understand, let you talk at your own rate, give you as much time as you need, and give you good advice afterward, then its a good group. If, as in a group I know of near where I live, they use a kitchen timer to restrict you to a five-minute share, then its a bad group. You should leave.
Posted by Susan on February 4, 2005 1:02 PM
