Making Mental Health & Addiction Visible with Matteo Esposito from the Invisible Challenge

In this powerful conversation, Matteo Esposito shares the story that shaped his mission to help others reclaim their lives from addiction and mental illness. Matteo is a Certified Addiction Recovery Coach and co-founder of Invisible Challenge, a movement focused on ending the stigma around invisible illnesses including bipolar disorder, substance use disorders, and suicidality.

Mark and Matteo explore the difficult reality of dual diagnosis, the limits of our current system, and the lived experience behind manic episodes, depression, and the pull of addiction. Matteo explains how suffering, time, and honest acceptance led him to recovery, and why connection is often stronger than willpower alone.

They discuss the gaps in psychiatry, the trial and error of medications, the danger of self-medication, the unpredictable nature of relapse, and the emotional toll on families who walk beside a loved one in crisis. Matteo also opens up about rebuilding his life, repairing relationships, and using his lived experience to support others who are still trying to find their footing.

This is an honest and deeply human look at mental illness, addiction, and what it truly takes to heal.

Matteo Esposito, Certified Addiction Recovery Coach : https://invisiblechallenge.org/

Episode Takeaways 

1. Invisible illnesses are often dismissed because they do not show up on scans, yet they can be as disabling as any physical condition.
2. Dual diagnosis is complex. Treating bipolar disorder and addiction separately does not work. Both must be addressed together.
3. Self medication hides deeper problems. Many people use alcohol or cannabis to manage anxiety, insomnia, or early psychiatric symptoms.
4. Mania has clear warning signs. Loss of sleep, high energy, pressured speech, and risky decisions are red flags that should never be ignored.
5. Addiction is a brain illness. It is not a moral failure, not a weakness, and not a lack of willpower.
6. Suffering often precedes change. For many people, the turning point comes only after repeated lows and accumulated exhaustion.
7. Connection is protective. Recovery becomes possible when someone is surrounded by people who understand the journey.
8. Professional guidance matters. Matteo credits his progress to finally following recommendations from clinicians instead of relying on his own judgment.
9. Peer support accelerates healing. Helping others in recovery strengthens sobriety and reduces the risk of relapse.
10. Families carry their own burden. Loving someone with addiction or mental illness is heavy, complex, and often painful.
11. Recovery is a daily commitment. Even years later, it is maintained one decision and one day at a time.
12. Hope is a vital tool. Matteo reminds anyone struggling that change is possible, suffering is not permanent, and no one is alone in the process.

Episode Timestamps

 01:27 – Matteo describes entering the mental health system and navigating inconsistent levels of care.
02:21 – Mark breaks down substance use disorders and explains the limits of current treatments.
03:38 – Matteo discusses early experiences with psychiatrists and the difficulty of treating substance use and bipolar disorder together.
04:39 – Matteo explains when his mania first escalated and how substances intensified the symptoms.
05:49 – Matteo talks about the relationship between depression, self-medication, and worsening addiction.
06:11 – Mark explains why people self-medicate with alcohol or cannabis when their mind starts to unravel.
07:11 – Matteo shares how he gained partial stability with bipolar disorder before realizing his addiction was growing.
08:20 – Matteo describes the moment he recognized he had lost control over weed and alcohol.
09:57 – Mark explains the difference between mood disorders and personality disorders and why bipolar is often misunderstood.
10:23 – Matteo identifies the behavioral warning signs of mania, including loss of sleep, pressured speech, and risky decisions.
12:24 – Mark explains mood-stabilizing therapy and how medications level out extreme highs and lows.
12:47 – Matteo reflects on the importance of connection as the opposite of addiction.
14:30 – Matteo explains why suffering and time were the two forces that finally pushed him toward recovery.
15:54 – Mark outlines why addiction treatment has low success rates and why relapse is common.
17:24 – Matteo discusses peer support and how helping others helps him stay sober.
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