About OBAD

In 1998, the Organization for Bipolar Affective Disorder (OBAD) held its first weekly drop-in peer support meeting in Calgary, facilitated by volunteers with lived experience. Our mission was to provide support and acceptance for individuals living with a mood disorder. Today, we continue to provide multiple support sessions for individuals, as well as families and friends of individuals living with mood disorders.

Our Mission

We believe that community support by individuals with lived experience is essential for wellness and recovery and that creativity and self-expression develop self-awareness, build esteem, and reduce stigma.

“Peer support programs can help alleviate some of the pressure on Canada’s strained healthcare system by reducing not only the need for hospitalization, but also the emotional distress experienced by patients. They also help people develop the skills they need to take charge of their lives. Yet despite these benefits, peer support is still undervalued by the mental health community… People can experience great improvements in their lives through relatively small investments in peer support but growing and sustaining such initiatives requires adequate funding.”

— Mental Health Commission of Canada