Thank you all for your replies. I didn't know it wasn't really a criteria. It's just my therapist made it seem that way.

Does anyone have any tips on how I can become more self-aware? I am usually aware when I'm depressed, but when I get hypomanic or manic I usually don't notice a thing is wrong with me. I do notice when I'm having a mixed episode because it's usually terrible--no sleep, extreme agitation, suicidal just to make it stop.

Will I be self-aware over time? I hope.