Competing Against Bipolar with Michael Wellington
From Pondoff's Anonymous by Chris Pondoff, Jeff Allen, Zoë Mendenall
May 25, 2026 · 2h 4m · Season 3 · Episode 17
About this episode
Michael Wellington shares his journey with bipolar disorder and recovery, discussing the challenges and tools that aided his healing.
On this episode of Pondoff’s Anonymous, Chris, Zoë, and KG sit down with returning guest Michael Wellington—author of "Birdies, Bogeys, and Bipolar Disorder"—for an open, honest, and insightful conversation on bipolar disorder and mental health. Michael shares his journey from professional golf and devastating manic episodes to long-term stability, recovery, and helping others navigate bipolar disorder.The conversation explores the realities of living with bipolar disorder, the dangers of self-medicating with alcohol, the challenge of finding the right medication, and how routine, accountability, exercise, and gratitude became life-changing tools in Michael’s recovery. Along the way, Zoë offers a deeply personal perspective on her own bipolar diagnosis, leading to a fascinating discussion about overstimulation, “mood seizures,” and what mental illness can actually feel like from the inside.Michael also shares some incredible stories from his darkest years—including psychiatric hospital stays, losing touch with reality during manic episodes, and the intervention from close friends that ultimately helped save his life. The parallels between addiction recovery and mental…
People in this episode
Hosts: Chris Pondoff, Zoë Mendenall
Guest: Michael Wellington
Topics covered
- bipolar disorder
- mental health
- recovery
- self-medication
- exercise
- accountability
Keywords
- bipolar disorder
- mental health
- recovery
- self-medication
- exercise
- accountability
- gratitude
- addiction recovery
Mentioned in this episode
Books & works: Birdies, Bogeys, and Bipolar Disorder
More episodes of Pondoff's Anonymous
- I Thought I Was Only Hurting Me with Matt Bauersachs · June 8, 2026 · 2h 6m
- Turning Pain Into Purpose with Kira Andersen · June 1, 2026 · 2h 46m
- 41 Surgeries Later - Rebuilding "Buff" Bagwell · May 11, 2026 · 3h 22m
- Building the Plan on Day One with Blake Wellen · May 4, 2026 · 1h 31m
- S3 E14 Jakob comes home, at least for one episode! · April 27, 2026 · 1h 36m
- Grace After Chaos with Alyssa Jarvis · April 20, 2026 · 2h 2m
Explore listener stats, chart rankings, contacts and more on the Pondoff's Anonymous podcast page.