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Young Adults

Young Adults

The transition to adulthood is challenging.

Young adults (18-29 years of age) typically experience many changes such as moving out on their own, finding first jobs and building relationships with significant others. For those living with a mood disorder, this time of life can be particularly difficult. DBSA has put together this section of our website to help support young adults through these challenges as well as help them connect to other young adult peers.

Online Support Groups

DBSA’s weekly young adult online support group provides young adults (between the ages of 18-29) living with depression and bipolar disorder a place to share experiences, discuss coping skills, and offer hope to one another.

Online Support Groups

Podcast Series

Hosted by members of the DBSA Young Adult Council, this podcast series is focused on the unique challenges facing young adults living with a mood disorder.

Listen Up

Ask a Peer

Members of the DBSA Young Adult Council offer their perspectives on questions posed by young adults about living with a mood disorder. See questions and perhaps ask one of your own!

Read Q&A’s

Young Adult Resources

Resources for Young Adults

DBSA Young Adult Council

The charter of the DBSA Young Adult Council is to assist in developing outreach and specialized programming to help young adults as they transition from family support to independence. If you are a young adult (between the ages of 18-29) and would like to get more involved with the DBSA Young Adult Council, please email YACMembership@DBSAlliance.org.

Young Adult Council

I'm Living Proof

Being diagnosed with a mood disorder as a teen can feel like a life sentence. Without success stories, it’s easy to think you will always feel this way and you won’t be able to have the life you had hoped for. Perhaps you remember this feeling when you were first diagnosed. Did life get better for you? Share your journey with teens experiencing mood disorders to give others hope because—you’re living proof!

Find inspiration Submit your own story

Question Topic:

Coping With Feeling Behind Your Peers

Description

Join Geralyn Dexter and Linea Johnson as they discuss the difficulties of feeling behind your peers while dealing with a mental health condition.

Handling a Quarter Life Crisis

Description

In this podcast, Linea Johnson takes on the role of interviewer while Young Adult Council co-chair, Geralyn Dexter, shares her experiences with handling a quarter life crisis.

Getting Your Financial Life on Track

Description

Listen to this podcast to learn how to start off on the right foot–or get back on track–with your finances. Join us as we discuss budgeting, obtaining credit and eliminating debt.

DBSA would like to thank Rebecca’s Dream for their support of the DBSA Young Adult podcast series and Q&A. Both are an extension of Rebecca’s Dream’s ongoing mission to promote awareness and compassion of depression and bipolar disorder as real diseases. Visit RebeccasDream.org

Struggling In Silence

Description

All over the world many people with mood disorders struggle in silence. Often times they have fears of telling others or beliefs about themselves that make it difficult to speak up. Linea Johnson shares her experiences with struggling in silence and offers some tips for others to combat this.

Helping Friends Understand Your Mental Health Condition

Description

Sometimes even the most well-meaning friends just can’t understand what you are going through. In this podcast, Linea Johnson shares her experiences with friends who both “get-it” and don’t.

Dealing with Relapse

Description

Experiencing relapse is a very real concern for many of us living with a mood disorder. Linea Johnson shares her personal experiences with relapse and how she has come to accept this part of her life.

Finding Balance

Description

Mental health advocate and author, Linea Johnson, shares her experiences with finding balance and why this is so important for her.

Should I or Shouldn’t I? Disclosing a Mental Health Condition

Description

How do you decide when, and with whom, to share a mental health diagnosis? This is a question virtually anyone living with depression or bipolar disorder struggles with, but for young adults it can be particularly difficult. Many are starting new jobs and beginning serious relationships during this time. Knowing who you can trust and how to handle those who are not receptive is very important. Join DBSA’s Young Adult Council chair, Geralyn Dexter, and author and fellow mental health advocate, Linea Johnson, as they discuss their own experiences with disclosure.

The DBSA Young Adult Council Partners with Campus Coalition, All for 1

Description

All for 1 is a cross-campus coalition that strives to offer support for college students experiencing mental health concerns as well as work with universities across the nation to reevaluate their current policies with regards to mental health. DBSA’s Young Adult Council had the opportunity to speak with All for 1 co-chairs, Jenna Zhang and Kathryn Dewitt, to learn more about this unique endeavor and how other young adults can get involved.

Dealing with Failed Expectations

Description

DBSA is proud to announce the latest podcast in our Young Adult Series – Dealing with Failed Expectations. Often times, we have great expectations of ourselves – and this can certainly be a good thing! However, sometimes these expectations can work against us, making us feel as if we are failing in our lives. Join DBSA’s Young Adult Council co-chair, Geralyn Dexter, and young adult mental health advocate and author, Linea Johnson, as they explore the difficulties in handling failed personal expectations.

In-patient Hospitalization for Mental Health Conditions

Description

Join mental health advocate and author, Linea Johnson, as she shares her experience with in-patient hospitalization for mental health concerns and offers helpful tips for others who may also experience hospitalization.

Bouncing Back: The Importance of Becoming Resilient

Description

In this podcast we join happiness expert, Tim Bono, PhD, to learn what being resilient really means and some ways that we can help build our own resiliency.

DBSA would like to thank Rebecca’s Dream for their support of the DBSA Young Adult podcast series and Q&A. Both are an extension of Rebecca’s Dream’s ongoing mission to promote awareness and compassion of depression and bipolar disorder as real diseases. Visit RebeccasDream.org.

Pregnancy and Mood Disorders

Description

In this podcast DBSA’s Angie Day and Ingrid Deetz talk about the difficult decisions and unique challenges that people living with mood disorders make when deciding to have a baby.

DBSA would like to thank Rebecca’s Dream for their support of the DBSA Young Adult podcast series and Q&A. Both are an extension of Rebecca’s Dream’s ongoing mission to promote awareness and compassion of depression and bipolar disorder as real diseases. Visit RebeccasDream.org.

Handling Mood Disorders in College

Description

Join Nareth Phin and Lucy Ingram as they answer questions about what it was like to live with a mood disorder during college and provide helpful tips for others.

DBSA would like to thank Rebecca’s Dream for their support of the DBSA Young Adult podcast series and Q&A. Both are an extension of Rebecca’s Dream’s ongoing mission to promote awareness and compassion of depression and bipolar disorder as real diseases. Visit RebeccasDream.org.

The Connection Between Mental Health and Physical Health

Description

Join DBSA Young Adult Council co-chair, Danyelle Hooks, as she speaks with both a clinician and peer about how your physical health impacts your mental health and vice versa.

Faith & Mental Health: Wellness in a Faith Community

Description

Faith and mental health can be a hot topic for discussion. Join DBSA Young Adult Council co-chairs, Danyelle and Megan, as they share their wellness experiences within the context of their faiths, dispel myths, and provide valuable suggestions for not only faith communities but the public in general.