system
Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:
human
How do clinicians effectively distinguish between Unipolar Depression (Major Depressive Disorder) & Bipolar Disorder II’s Depressive Episodes?

I think the question is relatively self-explanatory: how do clinicians effectively distinguish between Unipolar Depression (Major Depressive Disorder) & Bipolar Disorder II’s Depressive Episodes? Given that patients with BPD II do not generally experience manic episodes, how do clinicians distinguish between a patient’s depressive episodes with BPD II and Major Depressive disorder? 

More poignantly: how does one distinguish between BPD II’s non-depressive states, vs a wave of Major Depressive Disorder’s alleviation?
gpt
You have to look at the person's history. If you focus on one episode only, you won't be able to form a pattern. If it's a new patient, the clinician will have to ask a ton of questions to try to identify previous depressive and maniac episodes, and rule out other disorders. They may have to talk to a family member to get more details. Bipolar disorder is really disruptive of the person's life, so if they've had manic episodes it will be clear. But since major depression is much more common, you will always start with that as your diagnostic and only change if you have enough evidence.