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Existential depression is a form of depression where someone struggles to find meaning in their life and in existence itself.As a result, people dealing with existential depressionmay lack motivationin their day-to-day life, fixate onthoughts of death and dying, feel indifferent about the “unfixable” state of the world, and avoid connections with others.ReminderIt’s important to note that existential depression is not a formal diagnosis.‘What Is the Point of Life?': Why You Might Feel This WayHow Common Is Existential Depression?“Everyone experiences [a level of] existential depression at some point in their lives and it is very common to find it as one moves through the challenges of the maturation process,” saysJed Turnbull, PhD, LCSW, CHT, a licensed social worker, and therapist.Common questions people may ask themselves that can trigger feelings of existential depression:What is the meaning of life?Why is there suffering?Why do people have to die?Can I make an impact in the world?Why do bad people go unpunished?Why do good people experience pain?According to an analysis on the subject of finding meaning in life, only about 25% of Americans adults say they have a strong sense of purpose in life. About 40% say they either don’t have that guiding star or generally feel indifferent.7 Tips for Finding Your Purpose in LifeSigns of Existential DepressionExistential depression is similar to other forms of clinical depression in that the person feels sad and might be less interested in things they once enjoyed. You might also experience changes in your sleep patterns.Specific symptoms of existential depression may include thinking about death and what your life means. You might also reflect on your life. It’s important to note that for the person dealing with existential depression, these thoughts are uncomfortable.How to Know If You Have Existential Depression With Melissa BernsteinWho’s Prone to Experiencing Existential Depression?Some people may be more likely to experience existential depression compared to others. For instance, people with higher levels of expectations—as in unrealistic expectations or hard-to-reach goals—may suffer more frequently and to a greater degree of existential depression than others.Also, there are indications that people with higher levels of intelligence may be more likely to deal with existential dread and depression compared to others.There are also some life experiences that can potentially trigger existential depression, including:Stressful life events:Situations that cause major upheaval can greatly impact your life. For example, one study notes that cancer patients may question the meaning of life when they realize that death is a very real possibility.Having poorjob satisfaction: Research has shown that there’s a relationship between job satisfaction and mental health.So, if you’re dissatisfied with your job you may have poorer mental health. You may also start to wonder what the purpose or point of your job is.Lack of meaningful relationships:Science notes a strong link between healthy social relationships and aspects of our health and wellness.‘What Is the Point of Life?': Why You Might Feel This WayImpact of Existential DepressionExistential depression can cause people to miss out on meaningful life experiences or not enjoy life to its fullest capacity. For example, you might pull away from some of the meaningful relationships in your life.When you do have a sense of purpose in life, it can help improve levels of life satisfaction. This translates to a more consistent uplifted mood, positive outlook, and contentment. Further, research has found that people tend to live longer when they have high levels of “eudemonic well-being”—which is described as a feeling of happiness derived from feeling like your life has a meaningful purpose.Another study published in 2018 also noted that people who found meaning in their life experienced fewer physical health issues, including strokes, heart attacks,poor sleep, dementia, and physical disabilities.How to Find a TherapistWays to Deal With Existential DepressionAs is the case any time people struggle emotionally, reaching out to others or speaking witha therapistcan help tremendously. Doing so can prompt you to find new perspectives and help lessen depressive feelings and thoughts about life’s meaning.Recognizing that you are stuck—and that you aren’t yet equipped with the tools to dig out of the mud—is the first step.Existential depression is also unique in that it often ushers in a deep state of soul-searching as we try to find meaning in the world and in our lives. Use these uncomfortable feelings and probing thoughts about life’s “big questions” as an opportunity forself-discovery.Often this involves questioning our assumptions about the world and the way it’s “supposed to be.”Turnbull says that challenging our long-standing assumptions or beliefs—and being open to being wrong about those assumptions—will provide us the proper space to refill and rejuvenate our values. It can also help us gain a renewed sense of meaning and purpose in our lives that can help us feel better on the whole.“In more immediate circumstances, one’s way of expression can be very helpful in alleviating their depressive symptoms,” Turnbull notes. “Journaling or writing, and otherabstract ways of self-expressionsuch as art and music, as well as learning something new, can all be ways to decrease depressive symptoms.”Research has found a strong correlation between art therapy/creative expression and improved mental health.What Can Help When You’re Feeling HopelessTakeawayExistential depression is a common human experience. These feelings may be more likely to arise as you move through particularly formative years and start asking deeper questions about the world. However, existential depression can occur at any time. If you feel that you’re struggling to find purpose and meaning, try going on a quest of self-discovery. It also helps to speak with others, including trusted friends and family and/or atherapistwho can guide you through complex thoughts and feelings.Existential Crisis: What It Is and How to Cope

Existential depression is a form of depression where someone struggles to find meaning in their life and in existence itself.

As a result, people dealing with existential depressionmay lack motivationin their day-to-day life, fixate onthoughts of death and dying, feel indifferent about the “unfixable” state of the world, and avoid connections with others.

ReminderIt’s important to note that existential depression is not a formal diagnosis.

Reminder

It’s important to note that existential depression is not a formal diagnosis.

‘What Is the Point of Life?': Why You Might Feel This Way

How Common Is Existential Depression?

“Everyone experiences [a level of] existential depression at some point in their lives and it is very common to find it as one moves through the challenges of the maturation process,” saysJed Turnbull, PhD, LCSW, CHT, a licensed social worker, and therapist.

Common questions people may ask themselves that can trigger feelings of existential depression:

According to an analysis on the subject of finding meaning in life, only about 25% of Americans adults say they have a strong sense of purpose in life. About 40% say they either don’t have that guiding star or generally feel indifferent.

7 Tips for Finding Your Purpose in Life

Signs of Existential Depression

Existential depression is similar to other forms of clinical depression in that the person feels sad and might be less interested in things they once enjoyed. You might also experience changes in your sleep patterns.

Specific symptoms of existential depression may include thinking about death and what your life means. You might also reflect on your life. It’s important to note that for the person dealing with existential depression, these thoughts are uncomfortable.

How to Know If You Have Existential Depression With Melissa Bernstein

Who’s Prone to Experiencing Existential Depression?

Some people may be more likely to experience existential depression compared to others. For instance, people with higher levels of expectations—as in unrealistic expectations or hard-to-reach goals—may suffer more frequently and to a greater degree of existential depression than others.

Also, there are indications that people with higher levels of intelligence may be more likely to deal with existential dread and depression compared to others.

There are also some life experiences that can potentially trigger existential depression, including:

Impact of Existential Depression

Existential depression can cause people to miss out on meaningful life experiences or not enjoy life to its fullest capacity. For example, you might pull away from some of the meaningful relationships in your life.

When you do have a sense of purpose in life, it can help improve levels of life satisfaction. This translates to a more consistent uplifted mood, positive outlook, and contentment. Further, research has found that people tend to live longer when they have high levels of “eudemonic well-being”—which is described as a feeling of happiness derived from feeling like your life has a meaningful purpose.

Another study published in 2018 also noted that people who found meaning in their life experienced fewer physical health issues, including strokes, heart attacks,poor sleep, dementia, and physical disabilities.

How to Find a Therapist

Ways to Deal With Existential Depression

As is the case any time people struggle emotionally, reaching out to others or speaking witha therapistcan help tremendously. Doing so can prompt you to find new perspectives and help lessen depressive feelings and thoughts about life’s meaning.

Recognizing that you are stuck—and that you aren’t yet equipped with the tools to dig out of the mud—is the first step.

Existential depression is also unique in that it often ushers in a deep state of soul-searching as we try to find meaning in the world and in our lives. Use these uncomfortable feelings and probing thoughts about life’s “big questions” as an opportunity forself-discovery.

Often this involves questioning our assumptions about the world and the way it’s “supposed to be.”

Turnbull says that challenging our long-standing assumptions or beliefs—and being open to being wrong about those assumptions—will provide us the proper space to refill and rejuvenate our values. It can also help us gain a renewed sense of meaning and purpose in our lives that can help us feel better on the whole.

“In more immediate circumstances, one’s way of expression can be very helpful in alleviating their depressive symptoms,” Turnbull notes. “Journaling or writing, and otherabstract ways of self-expressionsuch as art and music, as well as learning something new, can all be ways to decrease depressive symptoms.”

Research has found a strong correlation between art therapy/creative expression and improved mental health.

What Can Help When You’re Feeling Hopeless

Takeaway

Existential depression is a common human experience. These feelings may be more likely to arise as you move through particularly formative years and start asking deeper questions about the world. However, existential depression can occur at any time. If you feel that you’re struggling to find purpose and meaning, try going on a quest of self-discovery. It also helps to speak with others, including trusted friends and family and/or atherapistwho can guide you through complex thoughts and feelings.

Existential Crisis: What It Is and How to Cope

11 SourcesVerywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Berra L.Existential Depression: A Nonpathological and Philosophical-Existential Approach.Journal of Humanistic Psychology. 2021;61(5):757-765.The New York Times.Finding purpose for a good life. But also a healthy one.Kennedy SH.Core symptoms of major depressive disorder: relevance to diagnosis and treatment.Dialogues Clin Neurosci. 2008;10(3):271-277. doi:10.31887/DCNS.2008.10.3/shkennedyKube T, Rief W, Glombiewski JA.On the Maintenance of Expectations in Major Depression - Investigating a Neglected Phenomenon.Front Psychol. 2017;8:9. Published 2017 Jan 18. doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2017.00009Karpinski R, Kolb AMK, Tetreault NA, Borowski TB.High intelligence: A risk factor for psychological and physiological overexcitabilities.Intelligence.2018.Yang W, Staps T, Hijmans E.Existential crisis and the awareness of dying: the role of meaning and spirituality.Omega (Westport). 2010;61(1):53-69. doi:10.2190/OM.61.1.cSimard AAP, Seidler ZE, Oliffe JL, et al.Job Satisfaction and Psychological Distress among Help-Seeking Men: Does Meaning in Life Play a Role?.Behav Sci (Basel). 2022;12(3):58. Published 2022 Feb 22. doi:10.3390/bs12030058APA.Manage stress: Strengthen your support network.Steptoe A, Deaton A, Stone AA.Subjective wellbeing, health, and ageing.The Lancet. 2015.Musich S, Wang SS, Kraemer S, Hawkins K, Wicker E.Purpose in Life and Positive Health Outcomes Among Older Adults.Popul Health Manag. 2018;21(2):139-147. doi:10.1089/pop.2017.0063Van Lith T.Art therapy in mental health: A systematic review of approaches and practices.The Arts in Psychotherapy.2016.

11 Sources

Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Berra L.Existential Depression: A Nonpathological and Philosophical-Existential Approach.Journal of Humanistic Psychology. 2021;61(5):757-765.The New York Times.Finding purpose for a good life. But also a healthy one.Kennedy SH.Core symptoms of major depressive disorder: relevance to diagnosis and treatment.Dialogues Clin Neurosci. 2008;10(3):271-277. doi:10.31887/DCNS.2008.10.3/shkennedyKube T, Rief W, Glombiewski JA.On the Maintenance of Expectations in Major Depression - Investigating a Neglected Phenomenon.Front Psychol. 2017;8:9. Published 2017 Jan 18. doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2017.00009Karpinski R, Kolb AMK, Tetreault NA, Borowski TB.High intelligence: A risk factor for psychological and physiological overexcitabilities.Intelligence.2018.Yang W, Staps T, Hijmans E.Existential crisis and the awareness of dying: the role of meaning and spirituality.Omega (Westport). 2010;61(1):53-69. doi:10.2190/OM.61.1.cSimard AAP, Seidler ZE, Oliffe JL, et al.Job Satisfaction and Psychological Distress among Help-Seeking Men: Does Meaning in Life Play a Role?.Behav Sci (Basel). 2022;12(3):58. Published 2022 Feb 22. doi:10.3390/bs12030058APA.Manage stress: Strengthen your support network.Steptoe A, Deaton A, Stone AA.Subjective wellbeing, health, and ageing.The Lancet. 2015.Musich S, Wang SS, Kraemer S, Hawkins K, Wicker E.Purpose in Life and Positive Health Outcomes Among Older Adults.Popul Health Manag. 2018;21(2):139-147. doi:10.1089/pop.2017.0063Van Lith T.Art therapy in mental health: A systematic review of approaches and practices.The Arts in Psychotherapy.2016.

Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.

Berra L.Existential Depression: A Nonpathological and Philosophical-Existential Approach.Journal of Humanistic Psychology. 2021;61(5):757-765.The New York Times.Finding purpose for a good life. But also a healthy one.Kennedy SH.Core symptoms of major depressive disorder: relevance to diagnosis and treatment.Dialogues Clin Neurosci. 2008;10(3):271-277. doi:10.31887/DCNS.2008.10.3/shkennedyKube T, Rief W, Glombiewski JA.On the Maintenance of Expectations in Major Depression - Investigating a Neglected Phenomenon.Front Psychol. 2017;8:9. Published 2017 Jan 18. doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2017.00009Karpinski R, Kolb AMK, Tetreault NA, Borowski TB.High intelligence: A risk factor for psychological and physiological overexcitabilities.Intelligence.2018.Yang W, Staps T, Hijmans E.Existential crisis and the awareness of dying: the role of meaning and spirituality.Omega (Westport). 2010;61(1):53-69. doi:10.2190/OM.61.1.cSimard AAP, Seidler ZE, Oliffe JL, et al.Job Satisfaction and Psychological Distress among Help-Seeking Men: Does Meaning in Life Play a Role?.Behav Sci (Basel). 2022;12(3):58. Published 2022 Feb 22. doi:10.3390/bs12030058APA.Manage stress: Strengthen your support network.Steptoe A, Deaton A, Stone AA.Subjective wellbeing, health, and ageing.The Lancet. 2015.Musich S, Wang SS, Kraemer S, Hawkins K, Wicker E.Purpose in Life and Positive Health Outcomes Among Older Adults.Popul Health Manag. 2018;21(2):139-147. doi:10.1089/pop.2017.0063Van Lith T.Art therapy in mental health: A systematic review of approaches and practices.The Arts in Psychotherapy.2016.

Berra L.Existential Depression: A Nonpathological and Philosophical-Existential Approach.Journal of Humanistic Psychology. 2021;61(5):757-765.

The New York Times.Finding purpose for a good life. But also a healthy one.

Kennedy SH.Core symptoms of major depressive disorder: relevance to diagnosis and treatment.Dialogues Clin Neurosci. 2008;10(3):271-277. doi:10.31887/DCNS.2008.10.3/shkennedy

Kube T, Rief W, Glombiewski JA.On the Maintenance of Expectations in Major Depression - Investigating a Neglected Phenomenon.Front Psychol. 2017;8:9. Published 2017 Jan 18. doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2017.00009

Karpinski R, Kolb AMK, Tetreault NA, Borowski TB.High intelligence: A risk factor for psychological and physiological overexcitabilities.Intelligence.2018.

Yang W, Staps T, Hijmans E.Existential crisis and the awareness of dying: the role of meaning and spirituality.Omega (Westport). 2010;61(1):53-69. doi:10.2190/OM.61.1.c

Simard AAP, Seidler ZE, Oliffe JL, et al.Job Satisfaction and Psychological Distress among Help-Seeking Men: Does Meaning in Life Play a Role?.Behav Sci (Basel). 2022;12(3):58. Published 2022 Feb 22. doi:10.3390/bs12030058

APA.Manage stress: Strengthen your support network.

Steptoe A, Deaton A, Stone AA.Subjective wellbeing, health, and ageing.The Lancet. 2015.

Musich S, Wang SS, Kraemer S, Hawkins K, Wicker E.Purpose in Life and Positive Health Outcomes Among Older Adults.Popul Health Manag. 2018;21(2):139-147. doi:10.1089/pop.2017.0063

Van Lith T.Art therapy in mental health: A systematic review of approaches and practices.The Arts in Psychotherapy.2016.

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