is the San Diego chapter of the national DBSA (Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance). We are a peer-facilitated support group of people who support one another on our road to wellness. We include those diagnosed with mood disorders, their families and friends, and anyone else who seeks to learn more about depressive and bipolar mood (affective) disorders.

DBSA San Diego emphasizes education in all areas that relate to bipolar and depressive illnesses, including the identification of community resources available to help those affected by these disorders. Our group is organized and run by volunteers, and sponsored by Drs. John R. Kelsoe, M.D., Eric B. Raimo, M.D., and Colin A. Depp, Ph.D.

We meet every Monday and Thursday from 6:00pm to 8:00pm at the VA San Diego Medical Center in La Jolla for support group sessions, where people get to discuss issues related to their mental health diagnoses with others who have dealt with similar issues. For more information on our meetings, see our Meetings page.

Through education and awareness, many people find that they are better able to cope with the pain of their illness with dignity and insight. We invite anyone affected by mood disorders — mental health consumers as well as their family and friends — to attend our meetings and to take advantage of the many resources available through this Web site. For more information on the many resources available here, see our Resources and News pages.

On the first Monday of many months, DBSA San Diego presents guest speakers from the San Diego health and social services community. Our most recent speaker was Dr. Jim Hatton speaking about Compulsive Hoarding and Its Relationship to OCD on Monday, 02 August 2010. Our next speaker will be Dr. Philip Botkiss speaking about Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation: A New Frontier in Brain Stimulation Treatment on Monday, 13 September 2010. For more information on our speaker program, see our Speakers page.

After most DBSA San Diego meetings, a dozen or so attendees get together in the cafe section of the local 24-hour Ralphs market — everyone is welcome, of course — to eat, drink, and socialize at a more casual level. Some of our recovered friends enjoy the Ralphs tradition so much that they skip the meeting and just show up at Ralphs. We also have about three Summer Potluck Picnics at Mission Bay Park, as well as our Spring Fling and Thanksgiving Feast at Hometown Buffet, and a Holiday Potluck Dinner during the winter holiday season.

DBSA San Diego is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization and, as such, welcomes charitable donations from the public. Gifts are 100% tax-deductible. If you'd like to donate online, simply click the DONATE NOW button that is found in the upper right corner of every page. Or if you prefer, you can write a check to DBSA San Diego and include your postal address so that we may send you a receipt in the mail. For more information on donating to DBSA San Diego, see our Donate page.