Rethinking New Year’s Resolutions With Bipolar I Disorder

Jo A. Hughes, DMSc, PA-C, CAQ-PSY

Credit: Piedmont Partners for Mental Health

As the calendar turns to a new year, many people feel pressure to set resolutions, aim higher and commit to big personal changes. But for individuals living with bipolar I disorder (BD-1), the traditional idea of New Year’s resolutions can be especially complicated, and sometimes destabilizing.

In this Q&A, Jo A. Hughes, DMSc, PA-C, CAQ-PSY, clinical director and founder of Piedmont Partners for Mental Health, explains why rigid goal-setting can clash with the realities of mood fluctuations, energy shifts and emotional balance in BD-1. She offers practical guidance on reframing resolutions in a way that prioritizes stability, flexibility and self-compassion, helping patients move into the new year supported rather than overwhelmed.

Why can the idea of “New Year’s resolutions” be especially difficult for people living with bipolar I disorder?

Jo A. Hughes, DMSc, PA-C, CAQ-PSY: New Year’s resolutions may be especially difficult for those with BD-1 because mood and drive fluctuate. What seems realistic at one point might not appear so a few weeks later. Energy, optimism and expectations often run greater when someone is in a hypomanic or manic state, which can cause goal-setting to intensify, hence increasing the risk of overcommitting. When energy levels fall during depressive states, those same goals can unexpectedly seem challenging and unreachable.

What’s the difference between healthy goal-setting and unrealistic expectations for someone managing a mood disorder?

JH: The main difference between healthy goal-setting and unrealistic expectations is not effort or intention, but rather whether a goal is built to handle mood changes.

​​For someone managing a mood disorder, healthy goal-setting involves goals that can evolve with fluctuations in mood, energy and focus. Often process-based aims, these center on simple, repeatable activities such as sticking to a specific sleep schedule or following a regular medication routine, rather than big outcomes that depend on feeling motivated all the time.

Unrealistic expectations often show up when goals are set during periods of elevated mood. Those same goals can rapidly become overpowering when mood changes or energy declines.

How can patients with BD-1 reframe New Year’s resolutions in a way that supports rather than disrupts emotional balance?

For people living with BD-1, thinking of New Year’s resolutions as flexible check-ins rather than rigid promises can be very helpful. By reframing resolutions as short-term, values-based intentions, pressure is removed, leaving room for natural changes in mood and energy.

This might mean choosing goals that protect sleep, routine and follow-through or creating smaller “baseline” goals that still count on low-energy days. When goals are allowed to adjust without being labeled as unmet, people are less likely to disengage or feel discouraged when symptoms flare. Research shows that psychoeducation and flexible, illness-aware planning are associated with better long-term stability and lower relapse risk in bipolar disorder. The most realistic goals center around staying anchored and supported as the year unfolds.

What advice do you have for patients who feel like they are “failing” if they can’t stick to a resolution?

JH: If a resolution starts to feel hard to stick to, that doesn’t mean you’re failing. Changes in mood, energy and focus are part of living with BD-1 and do not represent who you are or the effort you are putting into sticking to a resolution. Your circumstances are constantly shifting, so it makes perfect sense that your goals may need to shift as well.

Pause and ask yourself, “What changed?” Needing to adjust a goal is a sign of awareness, not weakness. It is scientifically proven that approaches that emphasize flexibility and self-compassion support better long-term stability in bipolar disorder.

Why is it critical for patients to stay consistent with prescribed treatment plans while working toward personal goals?

JH: Staying consistent with prescribed treatment plans should always be a priority. When it comes to working toward personal goals, treatment consistency is foundational in creating the stability that makes goal-setting possible in the first place. When treatment is interrupted, the risk of mood changes increases, making goals harder to maintain. Consistency with treatment helps protect emotional balance, so goals can be pursued in a more sustainable way.

What warning signs should patients watch for that may indicate a resolution is becoming emotionally unsafe or overwhelming?

JH: A healthy goal should be seen as helpful rather than consuming. Some warning signs that indicate it may be time to step back and reevaluate are if a resolution begins to cause anxiety, interfere with daily schedule, cut into sleep or render it more difficult to meet your fundamental needs.

Feeling very driven or pressured to keep going even when your body is weary, becoming more agitated or irascible, or feeling sad or humiliated when you cannot meet the goal precisely as intended are among other warning signs.

What message would you most want patients with BD-1 to hear as they head into a new year?

JH: Living with BD-1 already demands a lot of awareness, effort and resilience, even on those days when it doesn’t feel that way. Moving at a speed that safeguards your daily life and your sense of equilibrium is acceptable. None of that means you’ve failed; goals might shift, be stopped or be rewritten. Keeping connected to what keeps you healthy and supported is the most vital effort.