Even if there are trials for these medications, the field is not quantitative in practice. "Standard of care" is a myth.
It's happened to me plenty of times. That's why I refuse to medications. All I have to do is just wait it out.
I am not claiming no one gets any benefits, rather how can one be certain the benefits are actually not from something else? If the goal is to improve, then I suppose it does not truly matter. But I just like to understand things when I can.
If you have a really good week you aren't going to get diagnosed with mania.
If you have a really good month where you quit your job, move to Italy, and try to start a new job carving marble statues (and you've never carved stone in your life), well those will all be factors in any diagnoses given.
On the other hand, if you feel sad because your dog died, no one should be writing you a script for anything.
But if your dog died and you can't even function enough to go to work for a month, yeah it is probably temporary, but maybe some help is warranted, be that therapy or meds.