Values clarification — identifying what matters most to you at the deepest level — is a cornerstone of ACT therapy for bipolar disorder and provides direction when bipolar disorder removes other navigational tools.
Why Values Matter for Bipolar Disorder
Bipolar Disorder often disconnects us from our values through avoidance, withdrawal, and reduced capacity. Reconnecting with values provides:
- Direction when bipolar disorder has eliminated other motivation
- Meaning that persists even through difficult bipolar disorder periods
- A basis for action independent of how bipolar disorder makes you feel
Clarifying Your Values with Bipolar Disorder
Ask yourself: 'If my bipolar disorder 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 Bipolar Disorder
ACT therapy teaches: act according to values even when bipolar disorder is present. Small values-aligned actions, despite bipolar disorder, are more sustainable than waiting for bipolar disorder to lift first.