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