How to tell if someone is bipolar?

Mania: A person may fulfill the diagnostic criteria for bipolar d/o and have never been depressed. That is why the term: manic-depression is confusing. It may be common for those with bipolar d/o to have up and down mood swings, but the depressive part is not what defines the bipolar d/o. Rather, it is what is known as the manic state and can also be what is known as a mixed state.

5 keys: In my book "The Other Depression: Bipolar Disorder" I wrote about five keys to diagnosis. 1 Family history BD or multiple psych illnesses 2 insomnia from racing thoughts 3 timeline- multiple jobs, relationships, psyche meds, law and substance problems 4 mood instability, irritability, manic symptoms 5 depression-with sudden severe onset, and rapid change.

Bipolar: Bipolar I and bipolar II, In the first, manic phases are more severe, and in the second, depressive phases are more severe. There is also cyclothymia which is a low grade version of bipolar disorder in general, where mood swings are not as severe in either direction, manic or depressive. A psychiatrist will look for extreme swings of mood as part of formulating a diagnosis as opposed to testing.

Need an evaluation: Bipolar affective disorder is characterized by extreme changes in mood, either depressed or manic, which persist over time and cause impairment in living day to day life.

In general: recommend against labeling others with psychiatric diagnoses (without eval and training). Comprehensive psychiatric / psychological evaluation is used for accurate assessment.