Values clarification — identifying what matters most to you at the deepest level — is a cornerstone of ACT therapy for addiction and provides direction when addiction removes other navigational tools.
Why Values Matter for Addiction
Addiction often disconnects us from our values through avoidance, withdrawal, and reduced capacity. Reconnecting with values provides:
- Direction when addiction has eliminated other motivation
- Meaning that persists even through difficult addiction periods
- A basis for action independent of how addiction makes you feel
Clarifying Your Values with Addiction
Ask yourself: 'If my addiction were less present, what would I be doing more of? What kind of person would I be?'
Values are not goals (achievable and done) but ongoing directions: being a present parent, creating beauty, contributing to others.
Values-Based Action in Addiction
ACT therapy teaches: act according to values even when addiction is present. Small values-aligned actions, despite addiction, are more sustainable than waiting for addiction to lift first.