Bi polar was hard to diagnose in my case. For 25 years I would show up at a Psychiatrists office looking for help during the depressive cycle and be put on antidepressants. It wasn't until I was in the hospital for substance abuse (alcohol) that a Doctor saw me over a period of time and could therefore track my moods. The Doc that figured out was was going on said that one day he would see me up and chatting with other inpatients and the next day find me curled on the couch with tears running down my face. After watching this for a week or two I was put on Lithium and Abilify to stabilize my mood swings....for the first time in years I knew what it felt like to be the same person with the same temperament every day. For all those years I never went to a Psychiatrist when I was 'up' and feeling good so they never saw that side of me. Finally getting the right diagnosis and the right medication I was able to put the substance abuse behind me as well as the mood swings. I guess a true diagnosis is a hard thing to coe by when the doctor sees you for brief 15 minute apt.