I use "retail therapy" sometimes (OK, pretty frequently lately) to make myself feel better. But I feel like it's within certain limits. Like I'll buy a bunch of stuff someplace like Old Navy (where it's cheap) or a few things at Nordstrom Rack, etc. It's not stuff I really *need* but it makes me feel better. I definitely have periods where I spend more money and others where I don't buy much. When I was younger, I would spend that money on music.

But I'm pretty sure I'm not bipolar. Generalized anxiety, panic disorder, OCD, social phobia, and some major depressive episodes, yes. But bipolar, no (and I've seen numerous therapists and p-docs). I even mentioned bipolar II once to my current T, since I thought maybe I had some hypomanic episodes (along with the depression), but she brushed it off and said it wasn't that.

So I don't think what you're doing is particularly manic. I mean, if you couldn't afford to buy food or pay rent or whatever but were spending tons of money on hobbies, then it could possibly be an issue. But this just seems like you get interested in something, then really immerse yourself in it for a while, then move on. Seems quite typical to me!