I had recurrent depressive periods, complete with sui ideation and psychosis (though I didn't recognize it as psychosis until a few months ago). I knew something was wrong with me, and I felt like I was not meeting my potential. I felt like I was becoming nothing, and it scared me.

I also had periods of elation, racing thoughts, high productivity and grandiosity. These periods confused me, because they were so different from the depression that was my existence.

I finally went to see a pdoc, told her all of this, and got dx'd bipolar II. It was relieving to find out that I was not alone. Two other pdocs have since confirmed the dx.