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