It's very common for people with bipolar disorder to be diagnosed first with depression. Very often this is because hypomanic or even manic episodes aren't recognized by the patients as being anything to worry about. They may just be so glad they aren't depressed that they think they're "normal" for awhile.

That's exactly what happened to me. Looking back at my younger years, the depression colors them out so strongly that it's hard for me to see that there were, in fact, high periods as...