“Bipolar is Not Who I Am. It is a Part of Me,” Explains Michael Wellington, Speaker and Founder of Birdies 4 Bipolar

Interview of Michael Wellington by Sabriya Dobbins, Founder of Project Passport

Michael speaking on the Justin Project on the campus at University of Missouri.

“Bipolar disorder is like a rollercoaster and a subway. Bipolar will spin you through hoops and flips and then all of a sudden you are on a subway ride, just moving through the city.”

Michael Wellington, an author, speaker, pro golfer, and advocate, was diagnosed with Bipolar disorder at 23 years old. Originally believing it was a curse, today he sees his mental illness as a gift. A gift that can change lives by helping others feel less isolated and alone in their own mental illness.

“What is normal? There is no such thing as normal,” shares Michael.

We are in a world where people harp on the idea that there is a special state of being that every person must walk in. However, what makes us great is that we are different. We each have special qualities about ourselves that we use to help impact others. Fortunately for Michael, he never felt that push to be normal despite having bipolar disorder. His friends and family accepted him for who he was. Therefore, he works hard to ensure that others learn to accept mental illness as his family did for him.

Birdies 4 Bipolar Golf Tournament Fundraising Committee Member, Chris Naegel, qualifies for the U.S. Open at Shinnecock Hills. Also pictured with Michael.

Being a professional golfer, Michael treats his bipolar the same way he sees the sport. If you are not getting better, you are getting worse each day. Therefore, every day he does things to manage himself even better. He never misses a medication dose. He works hard to be consistent.

“I work with a lot of people who think meds will change their personality or who they are. It will not. It is a helper to keep calmer waters in your life.”

Michael believes that you can only control what you can control. In his younger years, he would be worked up over so many things and this did not help his mental health. Now, he finds balance with daily exercise and a focus on arriving to life always on time. Those are areas he can control, hence he puts his efforts there. This keeps him levelheaded everyday and lessens the onset of the rollercoaster.

Purchase Michael’s book on Amazon.

Taking things one step further, Michael released his book Birdies, Bogies, and Bipolar Disorder. He wrote this book for those who did not have the unique support system he did. From stories on how he ended up naked on the highway to nights in jail cells, he is open about the ups and downs of bipolar disorder. Though it was hard for him to share these tough stories, he knew it was the right thing. People would call him from all over in appreciation for sharing his journey because they could then better understand the mental illness.

In 2012, Michael launched Birdies 4 Bipolar, a cause that helps provide support and resources for people struggling in the mental health space. As of today, they have had over 7 charity golf events and his tournaments have gone from just 12 people to over 110 people.

Michael states, “Bipolar is not who I am. It is a part of me. I am a golfer. I like movies. I like music. Mental illness has the ability to trick your mind into thinking that is the only thing that you are. The highest suicide rates of all mental illnesses is bipolar. When I would get into a bad way, I knew it was the disorder messing with me and I was fortunate enough to know that.”

 When asked about his two biggest life takeaways, Michael shared that one was to never drink alcohol. He found that it only worsened his depressive episodes in bipolar disorder. The episodes were so bad that he would be confined to the couch for extended periods of time. When he stopped drinking, managing his mental illness became so much easier. His second piece of advice was patience. He believes in never comparing your life to anyone else and to understand that it takes time to get things done.  

Michael at H.O.P.E. League Golf Tournament with Veterans

“Whatever I do, whether that is the non-profit world or other stuff, my job is to serve other people the best way that I can. Be a man for others. Something I have always taken very seriously. If you are not aware and conscious of others, that is a selfish life,” says Michael.

Project Passport is proud to announce Birdies 4 Bipolar as an official recommended partner organization. Learn more about them here. Purchase Michaels book here.

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Project Passport is a proactive mental wellness company that aims to bring mental wellness retreats, workshops and other services to company teams. We also help women create joy in their lives every step of the way. To learn more about our company retreats and services, click here. To learn more about our tribe community for women, click here. Our travel retreats will resume in the future as the world reopens.