For more than 15 years, bipolar disorder defined Abigail Kafka's life. Abigail was heavily medicated, unable to work, or have a social life. Then a therapy session introduced a startling question: What if this diagnosis was wrong? On this episode, we'll discuss what contributed to an explosion of bipolar diagnoses, and why experts disagree whether this disorder is over-or underdiagnosed.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Marty McCary is a renowned surgeon and public policy researcher, while Cara Anthony investigates trauma and violence as a reporter, and Rachel Yehuda is a distinguished professor studying intergenerational trauma. They discuss how outdated medical guidelines on peanut allergies led to unintended consequences and highlight the shocking legacy of trauma within communities, particularly among descendants of Holocaust survivors. The conversation dives into the importance of understanding these ripple effects for better health outcomes and emotional healing.

Whether we're talking about something as small as our work habits, or as big as public health policy, change can be tough. It requires energy, courage and persistence, that, a lot of the time, can feel impossible to muster. On this episode, we explore what it is that motivates individuals to change — both themselves and the world around them.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Ahead of Valentine's Day, we explore the modern world of dating — and why so many people are frustrated with it. We talk with a behavioral scientist and dating coach Logan Ury about best practices for online dating, learn about researchers building a new dating app, and hear stories about successful and not-so-successful efforts to find love.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Every day, our bodies come in contact with all kinds of potentially harmful things that we can't always see or smell — but which can have real consequences for our environment and health. On this episode, we explore exposure from sunlight to black plastic to hazardous chemicals from the East Palestine train derailment, and ask how we can protect ourselves.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

In college, Olivia Walch was a self-described "sleep deprivation cowboy." She would go days with only 3 to 4 hours of sleep and then binge sleep at other times. But soon, it all caught up with her. Now, she's a sleep researcher at the University of Michigan with a simple message: Sleep regularity is key — as is darkness. She joins host Maiken Scott to discuss her new book "Sleep Groove: Why Your Body's Clock Is So Messed Up And What to Do About It."Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

DIY culture is all about teaching yourself new skills to do things on your own. But what happens when the DIY approach extends to something as complicated as medicine?We hear about a man who developed a cure for his persistent infection in his garage, find out why so many people are flocking to DIY medicine, and learn how one researcher carefully evaluates his patients' DIY approaches.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Humans have long dreamed of communicating with other species, from plants and animals to extraterrestrials. On this episode, we explore different efforts to break down the communication barrier with other forms of life.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

We often think of the future as some unknowable horizon, fueled by sudden discoveries and inventions — but in reality, the future is constantly being created, pushed forward little by little by an army of innovators and tinkerers. On this episode, we explore what it takes to create the future, and how we can shape our own destiny.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Great origin stories aren't only for superheroes or villains in movies and comic books, lots of fascinating tales shed light on how places or people got their start. Origin stories connect us to the past, and speak to what makes us unique, or shaped us. On this episode, we'll listen back to our favorite origin stories; everything from the beginnings of the ICU to Facebook and a famous conman.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy