Sorry I am in a hurry and haven't read the previous replies to this post, so I'm sorry if what I say is repetitive. BP is one of those diseases where symptoms vary person to person. I'm not sure I believe it is on a continuum, but I do believe certain BP people get certain symptoms more often or even at all than others, and there are people whe are BP who never experience certain of the BP symptoms. I was diagnosed with major depression over 10 years (no pdoc has told me, but I suspect I'm bipolar II, a type often misdiagnosed as major depression, really need to ask my pdoc). I never really complained or got help when I was hypo unless I was not sleeping. I really don't like not sleeping even if hypomanic or manic. As for if I was manic, spending money left & right or having sex with strange men or masturbing for hours (thank God I don't sleep around since I've been married, I would never cheat on my husband, it's just not how I was raised and my moral compass is so against it), I was so embarrassed about my lack of control over finances, and my sexual behavior, I never mentioned it to pdocs. I mainly went to pdocs to get meds to help for depression (ended up on lots of SSRIs, pretty much if it was out there, I tried it, they often promoted manic symptoms, like extreme overexercise due to my eating disorder). Now, I think being on SSRIs for so many years has rewired my brain permanently. I have no proof of this, but I really feel this it the case.

Getting the right diagnosis sooner is more helpful, in my opinion, helps the meds work better (though meds are by no means a cure-all, often they are not, but sometimes they will at least help some.

Getting evaluated (especially by a good pdoc, many have ratings online, often with patient responses, read them first! Get on a waiting list - often long - for a highly rated pdoc, especially if one of the things he/she treats is bipolar. In the meantime, see a so-so pdoc if you have to. Best of luck to you.

Often a therapist knows good pdocs in the area; ask for recommendations there because bad pdocs are a dime a dozen. Sometimes too, therapists can shorten the line to get you in to see a good pdoc, depending on the therapist.