"I have heard many clients say that they are going through an "existential crisis." I always respond to this statement in the same way: "You are thinking existentially, and that is not a crisis." When we think existentially, we ponder profound and often unanswerable questions. Doing this is a healthy way to accept and embrace the uncertainties and complexities of life."
"If we view these questions as unacceptable or verboten, we may see them as containing risk or danger. If, on the other hand, we view them as normal and commonly pondered, we feel less uncomfortable with them. This normalization of profound and difficult questions can provide us with a sense of peace in the midst of a world and a life that is full of unknowns."
"Because panic is often centered on control, an acceptance that we actually cannot control everything in our lives can bring comfort and healing. Psychologist Irvin Yalom argues that anxiety can be reduced to comfortable levels and used to increase our awareness and vitality. Think of it this way: If I accept, for instance, that thoughts about death are not inherently risky, my anxiety about them decreases, and my willingness to think about the topic intellectually and curiously increases."
Existential thinking involves pondering profound, often unanswerable questions such as the meaning of life, purpose, death, free will, and justice. Such questions are common and normal, and viewing them as acceptable reduces discomfort and perceived risk. Panic often centers on control, so accepting that not everything can be controlled can bring comfort and healing. Boundary setting and compartmentalization help manage existential anxiety. Exercising agency and autonomy over media consumption and approaching mortality with intellectual curiosity can decrease dread and increase awareness and vitality. Psychologist Irvin Yalom argues that anxiety can be reduced to comfortable levels and used to increase awareness and vitality.
Read at Psychology Today
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