Existential crisis

Have you had an existential crisis? If so how did you overcome it? How did you utilize the existential angst?

How deeply go our patterns, down, down, down.
Follow them down. Follow them.
And as one does they flow around and behind, filling in where one once was.
Patterns.
Breathe.
They are there before us as figment, or other.
I can find no other than this.
Figment or other.
Patterns.
Breathe.
Ffffffffigment. Figments maybe. But not.,, Fffffigment. Fffigment. Figment.
Breathe.
Figments.
Figments?
Other figments?
Other?
Other.
Figment or other, and, breathe.

That kind of existential crisis?
I take those thoughts and write them down as quickly as possible and go back the next day and laugh at them.

a reply to: TerryMcGuire
The realization that you are going to die. Not an intellectual insight, we all know intellectually, but a gut level feeling. When you feel that you are going to slip away into eternity, when you feel that one day you will part with the ones you love most. Maybe even you will have to comfort them while they die. The feeling that in the context of eternity nothing you do matters. That kind.

a reply to: TerryMcGuire
The kind you describe sounds more like unclear thinking due to anxiety about existential matters. Equally as applicable. Writing it down is a good idea.

if you ever should have an existential crisis, I do not believe that it ever fully ends. there is a profundity to the realization of how truly terrifying existence is of its own nature, when it is just you flapping out there in the Wind alone.

For me it was made useful by imagining that it was my own death, And that having died I am no longer beholden to any of the former Thought and behavior patterns Which had come to dominate me. Many people imagine themselves to be " truly free" or to " not care what others think of them". but when you decide to pull yourself up for that one last time and continue walking forward simply because you have chosen to and not because you are compelled to for any reason at all...

... only then are you self made, your existence fully qualified, with an understanding of how truly lovely and fragile it all is.

it is no mistake that the initiation into any secret club is usually the apprehension of self death.

" is there no help for the widow's son?"

Oh boy... Existential crises. I am a student of geology, currently going into my final year at college. If you ever want to feel insignificant, like what you do won't mean a thing, take a look at the geologic timescale, look at the big five extinctions, see that over 99% of all life (species) that has ever lived has died, gone extinct. If you want to get over that feeling, realize that you are a product of that lineage, the great unbroken chain of life, on a planet that by all means shouldn't have life at all after all of those ecological disasters, but does. All life is special in this universe. You, however, unlike most life, have the unique opportunity to see the grandeur before you, to know that just because your life may end, there is something that will continue on. Accept your existence as nearly meaningless in the grand scheme, except as a link in that chain, and embrace your existence as a link by enjoying your life and filling it with moments you spend with loved ones.

originally posted by: XxRagingxPandaxX
Have you had an existential crisis? If so how did you overcome it? How did you utilize the existential angst?

For those unsure about the term, here is a concise summary from Wikipedia:
Existential Crisis: An existential crisis is a moment at which an individual questions the very foundations of their life: whether their life has any meaning, purpose or value.

Whenever I go through an existential crisis, I remind myself that the feeling associated with the angst that accompanies it is only temporary and will eventually fade. Even if one can successfully argue that life has no intrinsic value or purpose, this does not mean that life shouldn't be experienced to its fullest capacity. In addition, your existence is bound to matter to at least one other person, so use their appreciation of your existence to give your own life meaning and purpose.

a reply to: tgidkp

You point out

I do not believe that it ever fully ends

, I concur.

but when you decide to pull yourself up for that one last time and continue walking forward simply because you have chosen to and not because you are compelled to for any reason at all...

... only then are you self made, your existence fully qualified, with an understanding of how truly lovely and fragile it all is.

Wonderfully put. Fragile. Oh so, so, fragile.

Never got over my existential crisis.
I'm just learning to live with it, the small voice in the back of my head that tells me it's all meaningless.
Oh well, just a mild case of chronic depression

a reply to: XxRagingxPandaxX

Once the prevailing doctrines have all fallen and their foundations lie in crumbles around us, it isn't long before we pick up the pieces and start to play with them. Or, we mourn them, and face depression and meloncholy thereby.

a reply to: XxRagingxPandaxX
I resolved to live for as long as I am alive.

I don't know that death is the end... But, if it is, I have a wonderful opportunity to experience life while it lasts.

a reply to: XxRagingxPandaxX

Everything you do does matter. My belief is that we have choices to make good or evil. These choices will stay with you after you die. Keep learning and use your heart to feel what is right.

Before I say anything else, I want to tell you that you are not alone.

It is what defines us as a species, our ability to comprehend the insignificance of our brief time as living, loving and thinking organisms. It may or may not be what has driven us to become who we are today. That initial spark of curiousity which ultimately has brought us to the point where we must ask ourselves, not only as single individuals but as a people; why are we?
Some of us are unfortunate enough to reflect, perhaps too deeply upon what science and philosophy indicates what it means to be alive. We are but a family of moving, consuming and reproducing organisms, just like all other species of the biosphere. And just like singing birds in a forest, gracing wild horses on the steppe and swimming fish in the sea, a tree reaching for the sun, a mountain touching the sky and the ocean caressing the shore; we serve no greater purpose than to simply exist.
Being able to understanding this is what seperates us from other creatures, and it is in a sense, a gift and a curse. It depends on how you choose to approach reality that matters. You either look at life and see a pointless time of being, in which you would then ignore the virtues of existing, or you look at life as your chance to be alive, and appreciate the fact that there are good things to experience before your time is up.
Sure, emotions are nothing but neurochemical reactions taking place in your brain, but they are emotions regardless, still feel the same and are just as real as they have always been. You will still smile when you experience joy, cry in times of pain and love in the presence of those who are close to you.
Existence itself may be pointless in the end, but the sensations you experience during your time makes it worthwhile, and because we are human, with our abstract ideas and curious nature; its ultimately priceless.
Accept what and who you are, but most of all, celebrate it. Just because you have the intelligence that allows you to comprehend how the worlds works doesn't mean that it is less amazing. It is truly a world of wonders, every single piece of it; just waiting for someone like yourself to experience as much of it as you can.

It's funny that I stumbled upon your thread tonight. I also struggle at times to find a reason to exist, but earlier today I wrote something and I thought I would share it with you.

"You come to a point after desperately trying to rationalize your existence, when you finally understand that experiencing different sensations, going to different places and meeting different people, is what makes it worthwhile. The fact that life changes and you may experience something entirely different tomorrow, no matter how seemingly insignificant the event may appear to be at that particular moment, what it means is that life is eventful. There are wonderful things everywhere to experience and appreciate. That is the virtue of life"

a reply to: ABeing
Thank you very much for the heartfelt post. It is challenging for intelligent people to find meaning in a world where none is evident. Stratified rock formations and the rising and ceasing of civilizations and species are only a few out of almost infinite contemplations to make life feel so empty. I too struggle with it all. However, I feel that the existential angst can be utilized (or at least I'm hoping) to create a breakthrough in the perceived meaninglessness of it all. I'm still searching, but, I must search until nihilism is sufficiently out of my head. All the best on your journey.

a reply to: Aphorism
That is my problem too. The doctrines of old that give so any people certainty are cracking at the foundations by the earthquake of science.

a reply to: ABeing

What a beautiful post.
One of my favourite things in heard a few years ago was.


"The meaning/purpose of life is to make heartfelt communication with other human beings"

I always liked that.

originally posted by: XxRagingxPandaxX
Have you had an existential crisis? If so how did you overcome it? How did you utilize the existential angst?

what is 'existential crisis"?


You know what is it? It is when you get to the bottom of your existence as a species and when you do, it blows your mind.

he-he))

a reply to: XxRagingxPandaxX

Perhaps if you express what your thoughts are we can all collectively do our best to support eachother.

I repeatedly come to the conclusion that my most pressing issue is that I tend not to look at things from all perspectives, but those that ultimately lead to nihilism. It's honestly a classic case of confirmation bias, only paying attention to things that empower the belief that there is nothing to live for in the end. In many situations, this behaviour likely has its origins somewhere in the past. Perhaps one has done something regretable, which we are not comfortable accepting our responsibility of. Or it may simply be that we are uncomfortable truly taking responsibility over all parts of our lives and our future, which probably can be traced back to some past traumatic event holding us back. I know that's at least one aspect of what makes things difficult for myself; I have issues letting go, of both problems, memories and people. My guess it that this prevents me from moving on as well, like being tied to a rubber band. You push forward as far as you can, but if you don't cut the tie to whatever is holding you back, it'll pull you in again eventually.

It may not be your problem, but like someone mentioned earlier; it's important to communicate your thoughts and feelings.

I guess what I'm trying to say is that nihilism may not be the heart of the problem, only the result.

Have you had an existential crisis?

Life itself is an existentialist crisis. The ability of an individual to busy their mind so much that they don't recognize that fact is nothing for them to be proud of.

The first time I recognized it, I attempted suicide. I don't think I ever stopped being in "existential crisis", the impact just lessened in significance over time.

The fact that people can ask whether or not “life” has a purpose—or why they should continue living—doesn’t make the question valid. No object or organism, in itself, has a meaning. It is only within the social realm that meaning enters the picture at all.

If so how did you overcome it?

I didn’t overcome it. I embraced it. I’m starting to notice how my choices have been rationalized away by my nihilistic philosophy. Most of the five years since I got out of the psych unit I visited after my suicide attempt have been spent trying to come to terms with the meaninglessness of it all. The only reason I got out was because a few times I vaguely pretended I had a problem and was working on it. The episode of House, where he goes into a mental hospital and tries to get out is actually pretty accurate of what goes on. If you say you’re all better, no one believes you. Most of the kids on that unit stayed between a week and two weeks, while I spent 90 days. I counted.

The hardest part about everything being meaningless, really, is finding a reason to change. It’s a lot like atheism, in regards to an individual trying to find a religion after they have come to the conclusion that all such religions have historically been used to control the population, that there is no scientific evidence or even logically consistent reason to believe, and that he or she is only doing it for the social benefits.

In regards to how other people perceive you, though, it becomes awkward. At the same time that I was learning first-hand about how the “mental health” world works, most of the population was immersed in it as high school students and don’t have an insider’s perspective, or even an outsider’s perspective; just assumptions. If nothing means anything, there is no reason to feel good or bad. It is quite freeing, yet at the same time you have to balance constantly the desire to do something and how you will explain it to others. The absence of any particular value, however, does not imply the existence of its opposite. It is just as easy to justify a passive existence feeding off of the energy of others as it is to pathologically strive for power or just have a “traditional” life, where a person gets married, has kids and retires.

How did you utilize the existential angst?

Reading books on psychology is fascinating. Even if you don’t believe half of what they say because it’s based on an assumption your experience has otherwise shown to be false, learning in and of itself will always be my number #1 go-to topic.

Combined with the scientific method, which is the only tried and true method of knowing anything, existential crises really reveal a lot about humanity and its relationship with the universe.

I am still in mine. My existential crisis revolves around one core concept I cannot shake

When I die (if I do not reincarnate or go to some heaven or hell) I will be nothing...not even black...blackness is at least something...just pure nothing. I can wrap my pea brain around that and I cannot accept it. The concept of dying is worrisome but easy to get over for me. Even suffering I can handle because it WILL stop. But the idea that one day my body, mind, spirit won't exist anymore is too much for me to handle. Non-existence is 100%, without a doubt, the toughest thing I can fathom in my own personal life

How do I cope? Not well to be honest. I pray to Aset and I do all I can to live my life and make the day worthwhile. If I am being genuine, even talking about it to you raises my pulse...a lot