I think it's fairly normal to want to know what specific type of whatever you might have. Knowledge can be very empowering, being able to put words to things can feel very empowering. It can also feel like a guide as far opening doors and trying to form a strategy for getting well, to be able to put specific words to things.

It just takes some time, though. I was diagnosed with BP1 several years ago. Now I am seeing a new psychiatrist after years without treatment, and after our first session she just wrote down "mood disorder". She told me that it does sound like bipolar disorder, and she acknowledged that my history implies that I have had some major manic or mixed episodes, which would mean BP1. She also acknowledged my mild psychosis issues, which would mean BP1 with psychotic features.

But she has to be responsible and not jump to conclusions, she has to observe me for herself over a period of time. So for now my label is "mood disorder".

However I was diagnosed for the first time several years ago, so I have already gone through the obstacle course of researching, reading, having more experiences, etc. And in the end the label doesn't even matter to me anymore. I know what I have gone through, experienced, what I still experience. I know I need some psychiatric help with it. The only people who make use of the labels are the professionals I hardly see at all. At this point I just want to fix this mess, they can call it whatever they want.