Not just a mood swing: Untangling the Bipolar spectrum

Not just a mood swing: Untangling the Bipolar spectrum

Author: Charts & Leisure April 8, 2026 Duration: 39:26

Bipolar disorder is a term many people have heard, but it is often misunderstood. This episode of Unravelling takes a closer look at what bipolar disorder really is and how it shows up in people’s lives.
Kurt speaks with Matt Dove, PMHNP-BC, FNP-C, a dual-certified nurse practitioner in family medicine and psychiatric mental health at the Brattleboro Retreat. Their conversation explores the full picture of bipolar disorder, including depression, mania, and hypomania, and how the illness can affect sleep, energy, thinking, relationships, and daily life. They also discuss why the condition is frequently misdiagnosed, how symptoms can overlap with other mental health concerns, and why it can take years for some people to receive the right diagnosis.
Matt shares insights from his clinical work and talks about treatment options such as mood stabilizing medications, the importance of sleep, and the role of therapy and supportive relationships in recovery. He emphasizes that bipolar disorder is treatable. Many people living with it build stable and meaningful lives, and recovery and repair are possible even after difficult episodes


There’s a thread that connects our inner lives to the culture we live in, and Unravelling pulls on it to see what emerges. This isn’t a lecture series, but a conversation guided by therapist Kurt White and journalist Mary Wilson, who bring their distinct perspectives to every discussion. They explore how mental health is woven into everything from our daily fitness routines and societal pressures to the art we consume and the relationships we keep. In each episode, you’ll hear from experts who study the mind alongside individuals sharing their personal, lived experiences, creating a dialogue that feels both intellectually rigorous and deeply human. The aim is to move beyond simple definitions, examining how anxiety, resilience, joy, and struggle shape our collective reality. Produced by Charts & Leisure, this podcast provides a space for nuance, challenging the idea that our psychological worlds exist in a vacuum. It’s for anyone who has ever felt the tension between their private thoughts and the public world, offering not easy answers but a more textured understanding. By listening, you become part of a broader exploration into how compassion, for ourselves and our society, can actually be built from a place of genuine curiosity.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 50

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