Hey there. The only difference between bi-polar mood disorders and uni-polar mood disorders is the presence of manic or hypomanic episodes (in bi-polar) and the absence of manic or hypomanic episodes (in depression or dysthymia or whatever).

From memory... The exclusion criteria for uni-polar mood disorder is the presence of one or more manic or hypomanic episodes at some point in ones history.

That exclusion criteria always surprised me a little... What if I had a hypomanic episode when I was 7 because I ate too much sugar? Does that turn my depression into bi-polar II?

Lol.

I guess it is that your clinician doesn't really think you have manics / hypomanics.

Bonus:

I think it is fair to say there is less stigma around unipolar mood disorders than there is around bipolar mood disorders.

Congratulations. I guess you are one hypo/manic short of bipolar

;-)