well even though you have never been diagnosed with ptsd, these are certainly symptoms of ptsd. if you are not in therapy, i highly suggest it with a therapist who specializes in trauma who can do emdr to help you process the incident. even just talking about it over and over and over again with someone can help process it. and your suspicion that it could throw your bipolar off balance is valid. my ptsd, when triggered intensely has done that a number of times.