Competing Against Bipolar with Michael WellingtonCompeting Against Bipolar with Michael Wellington
Pondoff's Anonymous
Chris, Zoë and KG talk with returning guest Michael Wellington about his long history with bipolar disorder, the dangers of mixing it with alcohol, and the daily routines that keep him stable. They also share personal experiences of diagnosis, medication and practical tools like exercise, gratitude and meditation, alongside Michael’s work supporting veterans through golf.
2:03:32•25 May 2026
Competing with Bipolar: Golf, Gratitude and Going Alcohol-Free with Michael Wellington
Episode Overview
- Alcohol acts like “lighter fluid” on bipolar symptoms, intensifying mania and deepening the depressive crash, so abstinence is strongly framed as a safety issue.
- Consistent use of prescribed medication, even when life feels stable, is presented as vital, with openness to trial and error when a drug doesn’t suit the body.
- Daily routines built around early exercise, hydration and a simple gratitude journal can shift focus from what’s missing to what’s working, easing depression and anxiety.
- Practices like transcendental meditation, yoga and low-stimulation time are described as practical ways to calm an overactive nervous system and slow racing thoughts.
- Supportive boundaries from friends, family and peers – including conditions around treatment adherence – can help someone move from denial towards long-term stability.
“If you have bipolar disorder, do not put alcohol in your body.”
What can we learn from those who have battled addiction and serious mental illness? This conversation on Pondoff’s Anonymous brings together Chris, Zoë and KG with returning guest Michael Wellington, author of *Birdies, Bogeys, and Bipolar Disorder*, to talk candidly about living – and competing – with bipolar disorder. The chat moves fast but stays grounded.
Michael traces his journey from hyper-competitive golf prodigy to repeated hospitalisations, describing years of manic episodes, paranoia, crushed cars and 33 days on a psych ward. He’s painfully clear about one thing: alcohol and bipolar do not mix. As he puts it, “If you have bipolar disorder, do not put alcohol in your body,” likening booze to lighter fluid on an already raging campfire.
You’ll hear Zoë share her own bipolar II diagnosis, medication alarms going off mid-show, and the very real tug‑of‑war between bipolar and ADHD. The group talk through how hard it can be to stick with meds, the temptation to self‑medicate, and why some people ditch mood stabilisers when they feel “grey”. Michael pushes a different mindset: treat each day like a match against the disorder, with tools like routine, early-morning exercise, gratitude journalling and transcendental meditation.
There’s plenty here for anyone in alcohol recovery too: they unpack how depression, shame and self‑medication spiral together, and how accountability, boundaries from friends, and honest support can pull someone back from rock bottom. The episode closes on hope in action, as Michael describes his work with veterans’ golf programmes and a planned simulator facility at Normandy to give ex‑service personnel structure, community and something to look forward to through winter.
If bipolar, alcohol, or both are part of your story, this honest, funny and very human conversation might leave you asking: what’s one small habit you could start today to give yourself a better shot tomorrow?
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