I can only speak for my self, as we all can; meaning we can only talk for our selves on the matter on how we each experience the emotion of love. Bi Polar is a very deep and very... what's the word... expansive illness. Many experience it very differently, as indeed many experience life differently. We all come from different backgrounds, and we all experience our intense emotions in altered ways.

With that said, if "i love you" came from someone genuine, and not from my family, it would mean the world to me. I would latch on to the source of the love, as i have rarely experienced what i call "earned love." Family, at least in my experience, has always loved me for better or worse. But again, i'm a special case; i have chronic phobias related to abandonment and rejection from loved ones and friends. So, as a result, I latch on, and have extreme anxiety when they leave.

Not everyone is going to react the same. But in general, i think it's fair to say "we" experience emotions in a more intense and extreme way.

Hope this helps.