Don't know about "less obvious"; if you have mood swings that last for hours or days, and the pattern's been going on for months, consider professional help. Get help anyway if you think you have it.

One subtlety is that there are two tentative types of it, I and II. Look them up. (TL;DR: In I, your highs consist of flipping the fuck out and potentially need hospitalization. II, you're elevated but nothing as extreme.)

Before I was diagnosed I ended up hospitalized. I thought I was being recruited by the NSA. I thought I was highly intelligent. Found out on the backend I was just having a manic episode. Since the I have gone through small bouts of depression. I still look back in envy at the mania I felt. It was better than any drug. I drink now, but I'm not really supposed to. I maintain a stable job. I'm just trying to answer as many potential questions for bipolar annon that I can. There really is strength in numbers.