Life Is Meaningless Or Existential Crisis

2024 Author: Harry Day | [email protected]. Last modified: 2024-01-15 16:05

Today I want to talk about the existential crisis, about that period of time when a person begins to question his whole existence. During this period, we often wonder who we are, who we are and what is the meaning of life. It is important to say here that thinking about “deep questions” is part of our everyday existence, and not everyone experiences a crisis when addressing them. An existential crisis occurs when we ask questions and feel anxious, frustrated, or even depressed when we cannot find satisfactory answers. Suicidal thoughts are also not uncommon in this state and in this state of affairs, it is important to get help right away.

Any of us can experience the influence of an existential crisis, I will try to give the most common causes of this condition.

Transitional age

Any transition in our life is critical, no matter the transition from adolescence, to middle age or old, at these moments doubts about ourselves and the meaning of life can come. We can reflect on our past and future, wondering what we have achieved, what are we living for? Behind these questions, anxiety begins to come about how to make the most of the allotted years, and sometimes anxiety comes that we are not ready to set foot on a new stage of life and cope with the new responsibilities that have come with age.

Events that affect life

As a rule, this period comes after a threat associated with life, it can be a car accident, natural disaster, serious illness. When a person is faced with death, the meaning of life seems to leave the field of rhenium and fear and reflections arise about what will happen after. Having survived a catastrophe, a person sometimes goes into a state called “survivor's guilt”. It is not uncommon for a person to question their survival and worry that they are not worthy of it.

Simply put, an existential crisis often comes after the realization of their mortality or the loss of ideals. You can try to recognize the crisis by the following signs:

Feelings of depression and hopelessness.

This could be due to job dissatisfaction, a relationship that goes nowhere, or an inability to achieve goals. A recent loss can also contribute to these experiences.

Anxiety.

Existential anxiety can manifest itself as a feeling of anxiety about the future, about what happens after death and the meaning of life. Some may feel that they are missing out on a large part of their lives.

Loneliness.

The feeling of loneliness is most common during a crisis. Some people find it difficult to communicate with other people or believe that others can understand what they are going through. Therefore, social isolation comes.

Existential obsessive thoughts.

Often it is about obsessive thoughts in philosophical questions that cannot be answered, such as “why are we here?”, “Why am I exactly me?”, “I see myself from myself, my hands, everything in front of me, why exactly and what will happen next when I cannot feel it?”. These thoughts persist and can lead to deep depression. People experiencing this state describe it as something that it is impossible not to think about, these thoughts are constantly spinning, increasing fear and hopelessness.

Loss of interest and motivation.

Certain parts of life may begin to seem less important when looking for a purpose. It's not unusual to feel like life is mundane or meaningless. Some also find that their personal values change as they try to find meaning in life. Awareness of new values can lead to a new sense of purpose, which can help resolve a period of crisis.

If you struggle to reconcile your current life with what you hoped for yourself, you may experience sadness, frustration, anxiety, and depression. Because people often experience depression and anxiety during times of existential crisis, they may be diagnosed with one or both of these conditions. But depression and anxiety caused by an existential crisis is not exactly the same as typical depression or anxiety.

Existential anxiety specifically describes fear or anxiety about the true meaning of life. A person may feel that they have made the wrong choice or they are not free to make the choice they want to make. We may worry about death or the afterlife. Worrying about these things can interfere with enjoying life in the moment, especially if anxiety arises as intrusive thoughts (existential OCD).

Existential depression refers to feelings of disinterest, sadness, hopelessness, and loss of motivation that often accompany an existential crisis. We can feel hopelessness in relation to society, the world. Feeling like it doesn't make any sense because nothing you do matters and can lead to a loss of motivation.

Some people can cope with an existential crisis on their own. It may take time, but eventually they will admit that some of life's questions simply cannot be answered. For example, someone who felt like they hadn't done anything in life decides to give one day a week as a volunteer.

If the crisis lasts a long time and negatively affects daily life, well-being, relationships, work, school, it will be helpful to talk to a therapist. A compassionate, trained therapist can help you deal with feelings of depression and despair.

Existential Humanist Therapy helps you accept the different aspects of life - freedom / responsibility, death, isolation, and meaninglessness - and teaches you to deal with them by accepting them without letting them overwhelm you. It helps you discover and focus on the importance of your true self.

When dealing with an existential crisis, it can help you remind yourself what meaning your life has to others. Do you take care of a child, parent, little brother or pet? Do you help others at work? Try to keep track of daily kindness to yourself and others, acts of compassion and self-compassion, positive experiences, and other things that can give meaning to your life.