<unk>  is classified in DSM-5 as a subtype of bipolar disorder. The criteria are: # Periods of elevated mood and depressive symptoms for at least half the time during the last two years for adults and one year for children and teenagers. # Periods of stable moods last only two months at most. # Symptoms create significant problems in one or more areas of life. # Symptoms do not meet the criteria for bipolar disorder, major depression, or another mental disorder. # Symptoms are not caused by substance use or a medical condition. The DSM-5 criteria for<unk>  are restrictive according to some researchers. This affects the diagnosis of<unk>  because fewer people get diagnosed than potentially could. This means that a person who has some symptoms of the disorder might not be able to get treatment because they do not meet all of the necessary criteria described in DSM-5. Furthermore, it also leads to more attention being placed on depression and other bipolar-spectrum disorders because if a person does not meet all the criteria for<unk>  they are often given a depression or bipolar spectrum diagnosis. Improper diagnosis may lead some people with<unk>  to be treated for a comorbid disorder rather than having their<unk>  tendencies addressed.<unk>  is often not recognized by the affected individual or medical professionals due to its ostensibly mild symptoms. In addition, it is difficult to identify and classify. Due to disagreement and misconceptions among health and mental health professionals,<unk>  is often diagnosed as "bipolar not otherwise specified".<unk>  is also often confused with borderline personality disorder due to their similar symptoms, especially in older adolescents and young adults. Most people with the disorder present in a depressive state, not realizing that their hypomanic states are abnormal. Mild manic episodes tend to be interpreted as part of the person's personality or simply a heightened mood. In addition, the disorder often manifests during childhood or adolescence, making it even more difficult for the person to distinguish between symptoms of the disorder and their personality. For example, people may think that they just suffer from mood swings and not realize that these are a result of a psychiatric condition.
Cyclothymia
Substance use disorder
Dysthymia
Borderline personality disorder
Euthymia 
Bipolar disorder
Congenital athymia
Myokymia