I am ok with people saying that "tecomsin is bipolar", "tecomsin is a bipolar", "tecomsin has bipolar", etc. I think there is so much stigma associated with the word bipolar that it doesn't make any difference how the reference is made. Once the word 'bipolar' is out there, it's a whole new ball game in terms of how people will relate.
I am only referring of course to myself here. I have gone to self help groups and not mentioned for a long time if ever that I had this disordered because I think the stigma is irreducible, never goes away and affects forever how people will see me, independent of what else they do or do not know about me.
I can understand how people might see it differently but this is how I feel about it.