Help with diagnosis

Hi. I'm new to the forum I decided to join after my recent diagnosis which I've got to admit I've found it a little confusing.
I have suffered with mental illness since they age of 12 and I am now 22. When I was 14 my family doctor explained to me that he believed that I had bipolar disorder but didn't put it on my record as he said they don't like to 'put people in boxes'.
Last year I ended up in a and ever for showing psychotic symptoms. A few months later a psychiatrist diagnosed with bipolar disorder for my doctor to tell me I'd actually being diagnosed with cyclothmia and recurrent clinical depression which confuses me as cyclothmia means you don't get depression as bad as someone with bipolar it's just all very confusing to me and was just wondering if anyone else had experienced the same diagnosis.

I have moved this post to the Bipolar Disorder Forum but I've left a shadow in place so that both forums can view it.