When Tara Reilly was diagnosed with bipolar disorder at age 22, she didn’t think anyone else could relate. But last year, an online search brought Reilly, now 25, to a local chapter of a peer support group sponsored by the Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance, a mental health nonprofit. There, she found solace among others who shared stories similar to her own.
“There’s such a stigma with mental health conditions,” Reilly says. “It’s not something you can just talk about with most people. Having people who understand [my experience] is great.”
But the benefits don’t end there. Research suggests peer-run support groups for patients with mental illnesses confer myriad benefits, ranging from physical to emotional to social. Here are a few reasons you might want to seek out a support group if you have depression, bipolar or another disorder:
They’re varied. There’s no one-size-fits-all form of mental illness – and the same can be said for peer support groups, says Steve Harrington, president of the International Association of Peer Supporters, a nonprofit that promotes peer support in mental health systems. This means you’re likely to find a group that’s a good match for you.
[For more of this story, written by Kristin Fawcett, go to http://health.usnews.com/healt...ealth-support-groups]
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