in may 2013 america changed over to a new listing of mental disorders. the labeling NOS was discontinued, now there is a whole new listing of mental disorders that do not include NOS.

using your example (bipolar disorder nos)...

depending upon ones own individualized symptoms\problems and accompanying symptoms\problems..... what used to be called bipolar disorder nos would transfer over to one of the following ....

Bipolar and Related Disorders

Bipolar I Disorder
Bipolar II Disorder
Cyclothymic Disorder
Substance/Medication-Induced Bipolar and Related Disorder
Bipolar and Related Disorder Due to Another Medical Condition
Other Specified Bipolar and Related Disorder
Unspecified Bipolar and Related Disorder

(the term unspecified with a mental disorder is now used for emergency diagnosis situations like someone who is in crisis in the ER then when the patient sees their regular treatment provider the diagnosis changes from unspecified to one of the other mental disorders in the same category.)

the term other specified means the treatment provider thinks another bipolar disorder or bipolar disorder symptom you have but not others that would get you diagnosed with one of the others. when a treatment provider uses this label they must specify what other bipolar related mental disorder symptom you have...

example my bipolar disorder is called bipolar disorder with psychotic features. (the other specified part of my diagnosis is psychotic features) which means when my meds are not working besides having mania, hypo mania and depression I get hallucinations and delusions. my psychosis symptoms do not fall into the category of schizophrenia and psychosis disorders because its related to my having bipolar disorder.

in other words the new diagnostics and labeling system allows treatment providers to mix and match to make a better diagnosis and treatment options.

if you would like to know what your nos diagnostics\ diagnosis transfers over to in the new presently used standards you can contact your own treatment provider.