There may have been some instances in your life where you found yourself thinking about your actual purpose, the meaning of your existence, and the real reason why you’re here doing what you’re doing. At some point in life, many of us find ourselves thinking about these things, not knowing the deeper purpose we serve and the actuality of the world. The world of Psychology has given this set of feelings a name, and that is called an ‘Existential Crisis’. It is a time in your life when you find yourself entangled in profound questions like, what is my true identity, what is the meaning of life, and what is my true purpose? Having difficulty snapping out of an existential crisis? Don’t worry, buydiazepamuk can help you get the treatment you need. You can choose from a variety of mental health treatments available online.
The concept of existential crisis is debatable amongst many psychologists. Some say it is a period of anxiety and conflict in a person’s life, whereas some say it is a row between who a person is and where he wants himself to be. Whereas other psychologists say that existential crisis is mainly related to commitment and responsibilities. Nonetheless, an existential crisis is an actual crisis that people go through, and many consider it related to spirituality.
The emotional, cognitive, and behavioural aspects of Existential Crisis
While you’re going through an existential crisis, you may be going through a lot of things. Emotionally, you may feel helpless, hopeless, anxious, guilty, fearful, and sad. When it comes to the cognitive aspect, you may feel a lack of purpose, be distraught, lack of more profound meaning to life, the truth of life and death, etc. Whereas, in the behavioural aspect, you may be putting on a behaviour that’s not welcoming, losing friendships or relationships, obsessive behaviours, and so on.
How does an existential crisis occur?
An existential crisis is often considered to be like depression, as many of the signs and symptoms are the same. Therefore, it may serve as a causal factor for depression.
Existential crisis often occurs during transition periods in a person’s life. Growing up, you transition from a child to a teenager, from a teenager to an adult, from an adult to a person reaching mid-life, and so on. Each life stage is a transition period with its unique stages and characteristics. Therefore, whenever we transition from one thing to another in life, we do not have a manual to follow. We learn as we go, and we figure things out on our own. We don’t know what to expect. We don’t know the outcomes. We also tend to overthink a lot of things. Therefore, at each stage in life, we go through transitions that lead us to an ‘existential crisis’ that makes us question our identity, true purpose, and meaning of life.
What do you get in return from an existential crisis?
Whenever we undergo an existential crisis, we tend to reflect on a lot of things that we normally do not think about in everyday life. Because we become so sensitive and conscious of ourselves and our surroundings, we learn the true value of ourselves, our life, and our surroundings. So, an existential crisis serves us an opportunity to tap into ourselves and bring out the best. However, if we fail to make it out of our existential crisis, it can have a terrible impact on our mental health, giving birth to anxiety, depression, hopelessness, and stress.
It has been researched that there lies a connection between the feelings resulting from existential crisis and suicide. Therefore, whenever you or someone around you is going through an existential crisis, it is best recommended that you seek proper therapy to recover from it.
Tips to cope with an existential crisis
While it is necessary to go through a period of self-actualisation in life, it is also essential to gain some outcome from that period of self-discovery and soul-searching. The journey of self-discovery and soul-searching can lead you into an existential crisis; it can either help you make or break. The way out of an existential crisis is to ‘actually’ find your meaning and purpose.
Here are some tips that can help you cope with it;
- Work on living a meaningful life with meaningful actions. Take control of your thoughts. Replace negative thoughts with positive ones.
- Practice gratitude. Keep a journal and write everything that you’re grateful for. Make this a habit. Gratitude is all about being thankful and appreciative of things around you.
- Take time to connect with nature, self-reflect, and self-explore. Engage in meaningful conversations with people around you.
- Don’t go a lot into the whys and hows of everything. We can’t expect ourselves and others to know the truth behind every little detail of life. Instead, learn as you go; learn gradually. Do not overwhelm yourself with big questions.
- If you’re not able to get out of an existential crisis on your own, you must consult a healthcare professional. A mental health expert can help you cope with it through therapy or CBT. Seek your doctor’s help immediately if you’re having suicidal thoughts.
