Start with the pattern, not a label
Bipolar disorder involves episodes that affect mood, energy and activity. The assessment is not simply a judgement about whether someone is emotional or changes their mind frequently. A clinician considers the person’s experiences over time, including periods when they felt unlike their usual self.
The National Institute of Mental Health overview explains how manic, hypomanic and depressive episodes inform diagnosis. The words describe clinical patterns; they are not character judgements.
Find the explanation you need
Begin with what bipolar disorder means. The guides to bipolar I and bipolar II explain the distinctions and useful questions about them. The symptoms section looks at episodes separately from diagnoses.
Other terms you may hear
Cyclothymia refers to recurring elevated and depressive symptoms that do not meet the full criteria for hypomanic or depressive episodes. Other specified or unspecified bipolar-related diagnoses may be used when the pattern does not fit the main categories. Ask the assessing professional to explain the working diagnosis, the evidence supporting it and what remains uncertain.
Make the information personal without self-diagnosing
A useful next step is to write down the changes that concern you, when they began and what they affected. Include sleep, relationships, work and any treatment already tried. Bring your observations to an assessment; do not use a list of symptoms to determine a diagnosis or change medication yourself.