I'd long suspected I was bipolar, but didn't want to deal with it so I never saw a psychiatrist until I was basically forced to by my primary care doctor. Then when I did, my pdoc asked me right off why in the world did I think I was bipolar, and then proceeded to explain at least 40 ways how I might not be. However, I left the office that day with a provisional diagnosis of BP-NOS, and later on I was diagnosed with BP 1. It seemed kind of harsh, but I have some pretty severe manic episodes and it only takes one to earn a BP 1 diagnosis.