What specific action is suggested as helpful when charting one's own history regarding mood shifts to align with clinical diagnoses?

Answer

Plotting significant mood shifts over time, noting duration and intensity

To help distinguish between normal emotional variance and patterns aligning with clinical diagnoses like bipolar disorder, it is recommended to plot significant mood shifts across time. This charting process must meticulously note both the duration and the intensity of these shifts. For example, tracking a recurring cycle where a period of high productivity, often fueling creative work, is invariably followed by a sharp downturn or low period, provides observable data points that suggest a clinical pattern warranting further investigation rather than merely dismissing the variation as temporary mood fluctuations.

What specific action is suggested as helpful when charting one's own history regarding mood shifts to align with clinical diagnoses?
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