I think you're right. In past years, I've been diagnosed as Bipolar I, Bipolar II, Cyclothymic, and "you don't need to see a psychiatrist". I'll settle for Bipolar II that has mellowed through the years with careful medication and diet management.

In Manic-Depressive Illness Dr. Goodwin and Dr. Jamison state that Bipolar has a large spectrum of conditions that are dynamic, not static, so therein is the key to all of the various symptoms that occur in probably every episode, I believe.