I have Bipolar II disorder along with PTSD, and the bipolar diagnosis explained a lot for me. Especially the extreme mood swings, the impulsiveness and substance abuse to self medicate. But, finally being stable on a good meds cocktail has been a huge help for me and has kept me out of the psych unit for a while now. If you have any questions about my personal experience with bipolar, please feel free to ask and I'll answer the best I can.
Wes