I'm 49 years old. My first bipolar episodes were probably when I was 14/15. I know that I had a depressive episode that lasted more than 2 weeks then. It was severe enough that I was unable to go to school and almost failed my grade because of the absences. I recall it transitioning into a severe mixed state, which caused a rather traumatic thing to happen, and for the school to require I be sent to therapy (which lasted only 2 sessions). They also suggested that my parents send me to a private school, where my mood switched to a pure elated mania. So I believe my first severe bipolar episode was depression. If I had hypomania or mania before that, I can't be sure.

I chose the "6 to 10" as the number of depressive episodes in my life. I believe the actual number was 7 or 8. This is fewer than the number of hypomanic/manic episodes I've experienced, which were clearly closer to 20+. Other than the depression at 14/15, my worst depressive episodes were at 20 years old (issues at university), 23 (taken to hospital in Taiwan), 38 (had ECT), and slightly less severe ones at 40/41 and 44/45. After that, I had some very mild to max moderate depressive periods, but they were not long-lasting.