5 Ways to Be Value-Driven When You Have a Mood Disorder

Or, how I’m managing to pursue my goals, even on “bad days”.

Photo by Gregory Pappas on Unsplash

I have bipolar disorder (type 1) and generalized anxiety disorder (GAD). That means that my brain is geared toward making me feel stressed, anxious, and depressed — more so than the average person experiences these emotions.

I was diagnosed with these mental illnesses several years ago, during grad school. I’ll be honest — it’s not easy living with either illness. And there’s no cure (at least, not yet). Instead, mental health professionals and other resources have taught me about how to manage these illnesses on a daily basis.

The good news is that managing bipolar disorder and GAD is aligned with healthy living overall. Things like getting enough exercise, maintaining a daily meditation practice, and having a regular sleep schedule have helped me immensely. And they’re things I should be doing anyway.

So, what does it mean to be value-driven when it comes to managing a mood disorder? Well, in my daily activities, I can be driven by my mood or driven by my values. And when my mood is low, choosing value-based activities can help me feel better.

For example, with depression (a part of bipolar disorder), I often feel like sleeping all day. And that’s…