Do you sometimes feel like life is a never-ending loop of the same day? Do you wish you could find a meaning to life beyond waking up, going to work, coming home, going to sleep and repeating this routine day after day? Maybe you’ve started to question the point of it all, including why we’ve been put on this planet to spend 80 years of our lives working so we can pay our bills and take one annual vacation. If these thoughts sound familiar, you might be experiencing an existential crisis.
Know that existential crises are normal, so you shouldn’t panic. Still, it’s not a state you want to live in for very long, as it can take a toll on your mental health. Understanding the signs of an existential crisis can help you identify the issue and help yourself. Keep reading for a complete overview of the condition, how long it lasts and how to treat it.
Key Takeaways:
- The term “existential crisis” refers to someone questioning the meaning of their life, and it can have similar symptoms to depression or anxiety.
- Existential crises can be short-lived or persist for months or years. Recovery from them can lead to personal growth and embracing new opportunities.
- Mindfulness, social connections and personal improvement can help people successfully navigate an existential crisis.
What Is an Existential Crisis?
An existential crisis is the internal conflict someone has when they start questioning their purpose and the meaning of life. The individual struggles with their identity or place in the world, and this crisis can often bring up feelings of unease, depression and anxiety.
How Common Are Existential Crises?
Existential depression is a common emotion. It can be challenging to determine how many people have experienced an existential crisis because many go through one (or more) without realizing it. Instead, they might think they’re going through a depressive episode or a generally challenging time in their life.
Such mental health challenges affect people of all ages and from all walks of life. According to one study of young adults, the 12-month prevalence of depressive disorder, dysthymia, bipolar disorder and other affective disorders rose from 6.3% in 2007 to 13.6% in 2020/2021. The difficulty of differentiating between short-term depression and an existential crisis makes it challenging to get true statistics for how common existential dread and crises are.
Some people believe everyone goes through at least one existential crisis in their lifetime. It’s human nature to question our purpose and wonder if we’re being fulfilled.
What Can Cause an Existential Crisis?
Psychotherapists believe humans are preoccupied with four key existential concerns. If a person is struggling in any of these areas, it might trigger an existential crisis. Those areas are:
- Mortality
- Freedom
- Isolation
- Meaninglessness
The death of a loved one, or a severe injury or illness, can bring a person face to face with their mortality, potentially triggering an existential crisis. The breakdown of a relationship can leave a person feeling isolated and questioning whether their life has meaning. People can also experience difficulties if they feel their basic needs aren’t being fulfilled. An unstable housing situation, limited access to health care or living in poverty can impact your mental health and make it hard for you to find meaning in your life.
How Long Does an Existential Crisis Last?
An existential crisis doesn’t typically last forever, but it can last for a long time if left untreated. Some people report their crises lasting just a few days, while others say theirs lasted years.
If someone is experiencing an existential crisis and the symptoms last longer than a week or so, it’s essential to seek professional help to work through those feelings.
The Dangerous Side of an Existential Crisis
This type of crisis comes with feelings of anxiety, depression, unease and general unhappiness. Other symptoms of this condition are:
- Obsessive-compulsive thoughts
- Feeling overwhelmed
- Having low motivation and energy
- Feeling alone, regardless of the support and relationships you have
These aren’t good feelings to live with for an extended period. Someone in this sort of state might start to behave differently, such as:
- Quitting their job and spending all their savings
- Dropping hobbies, passions and interests they once loved
- Isolating from friends and family
- Neglecting to take care of themselves
- Losing faith in religion
In severe cases where isolation, anxiety and depression have taken over for a while, individuals may be at risk of harming themselves or turning to substances to cope with their feelings.
How to Deal With an Existential Crisis
Existential crises happen, and sometimes they can be a good thing. When an individual questions their purpose, they may find the courage to make a change they’ve always wanted to make. For example, the crisis might help someone leave the job they hate and finally try to break into their dream career field. However, that’s not always how an existential crisis goes or feels. Often, it brings on negative emotions that feel confusing and difficult to understand. Luckily, there are several approaches you can take to deal with an existential crisis and work through it:
Connection
One of the best solutions for an existential crisis is connection. This type of crisis can make a person feel very lonely. As a result, talking to friends and family about your feelings can be very helpful. They can support you through your situation, which can ensure you don’t feel so alone. Additionally, your friends and family might have helpful insights and suggestions. For example, they might encourage you to book that dream vacation or start that passion project you’ve been thinking about for a long time.
Gratitude Journal
It sounds simple, but a gratitude journal can help. An existential crisis comes with general feelings of unhappiness about your life. So it’s important to shift your thinking, when possible, to the things that are great in your life. A 5-minute gratitude journal each morning can help you realign to more positive thoughts and start your day on a good note.
Find Areas of Your Life You Can Control
One way to reduce feelings of helplessness is to make a list of areas of your life that concern you and then consider which ones you can influence or control. Making an effort to focus on the things you can control can help you improve your life and simultaneously help you feel better about the issues you can’t influence or change.
Practice Mindfulness
Mindfulness involves sitting with your feelings, accepting them and processing them. With regular practice, mindfulness helps people cope better with negative feelings and build the tools they need to adapt to or thrive in challenging situations.
Make Changes
If your existential crisis is focused on one particular issue, like work, it might be time for a change. This crisis might be the very thing you need to push you into a new direction. Evaluate your crisis and try to understand if there’s something to learn from it that can make your overall life better.
By being open to new opportunities, embracing change and shifting toward a growth mindset, individuals can find ways to bring meaning back into their lives.
Get Help
If your existential crisis is lasting a long time or resulting in deep, negatively adverse feelings (including depression or anxiety), it’s time to get some professional help. You don’t want your condition to last years or drive you to reckless behavior, such as turning to substances to cope. A therapist can help you work through your feelings, understand what’s driving them and work with you to address them.
What to Do If It Is Causing Harm
Monitor the impact your existential crisis is having on your mental health. If it’s impacting your mental well-being, there’s no shame in getting help. Make sure you seek help right away if:
- Your feelings are starting to interfere with your life (including your hygiene, work or relationships).
- You stop seeing others and prefer to be alone all the time.
- You increase the use of substances to manage your feelings (drugs and alcohol).
- You have thoughts of self-harm and suicide.
Restore Mental Health Can Help
Don’t go through your existential crisis on your own. At Restore Mental Health, our caring medical staff will help you get the treatment you need. An escape to a new environment may be the very thing you need to help you sort through this life crisis. Contact Restore Mental Health today to learn more about the programs we offer.
