The present study investigated compartmentalization and self-complexity of self-structure in people with a history of bipolar disorder. Remitted bipolar, recovered depressed and healthy control participants described aspects of themselves using experimenter-provided positive and negative traits. Compartmentalization was assessed by the partitioning of positive and negative traits between self-aspects. Complexity was assessed by both the number of self-aspects people generated and the degree of overlap between the self-aspects. The remitted bipolar and recovered depressed groups demonstrated greater compartmentalization than healthy controls and the remitted bipolar group also demonstrated greater self-complexity than healthy controls when self-aspects relating to the depressed and manic states were included. Compartmentalization may be a generic feature of mood disorder. In addition, bipolar disorder is characterized by a complex, differentiated self-concept with distinctive beliefs about the self in depressed and manic states. Therapeutic implications are discussed.