EXISTENTIAL CRISIS: HOW TO OVERCOME IT AND BE HAPPY AGAIN? - ARTE - 2025

An existential crisis is a moment in which a person questions their existence and begins to think that life has no meaning, they wonder if this life has any meaning, purpose or value.

This existential emptiness is usually associated with depression and / or a sense of "life without meaning." Some questions that a person with existential crisis can ask are: «Will I ever be forgotten? What is the meaning of all my work?

Do you think your life has no meaning? Do you feel existential anguish and doubt? Most people experience an existential crisis when they realize that one day they will die and understand that their life and the days on this planet are not infinite.

For centuries the human being has asked himself, what is the meaning of my life if I am destined to die? It is a question that gives vertigo and that has been tried to solve in different ways.

The people of the majority religions - Jews, Christians, Muslims - have the faith that after this life there is another that will be eternal and that therefore their spirit will always live.

However, most people do not think about death until they become aware of it and begin to reflect on mortality.

When does this happen? Usually with the death of family members, colleagues or highly stressful events, such as loss of home, job or separation of partners.

Following these events, such crises can occur and are often followed by anxiety, panic, or depression.

The loss of meaning and hope in the existential crisis

According to research and the experiences of humanity, it seems that giving a meaning to life helps, and a lot, to lead a happy life, want to move forward and overcome obstacles.

It is remarkable the ability of some human beings to overcome obstacles and not give up despite all the misfortunes that may befall them. However, other people have a harder time finding that meaning and it seems that when they don't have it, they give up.

Inspiration to overcome an existential crisis. The case of Viktor Frankl

Viktor Frankl describes this very well in his masterpiece Man's Search for Meaning. This book deals with his description of Logotherapy and the narration of his experience as a slave in a Nazi concentration camp.

If you are currently suffering from an existential crisis and want to overcome it, I highly recommend that you read it.

In the concentration camps of World War II, some people surrendered, while others survived, despite the low probability of doing so due to the terrible health conditions in which they found themselves.

They ate a piece of bread a day, wore very little clothing in the middle of winter, shoes that were torn, damp and of smaller sizes, and the guards or foremen beat them often.

His poor health situation was so extreme that his bodies began to consume their own proteins and were literally found in the bones.

There are a couple of particularly noteworthy experiences that Frankl discusses in his book:

1-There was a person who dreamed that on March 31, 1943 the war would end. However, that date arrived, the person contracted an illness and died a days later.

Was it coincidence? Frankl, one of the smartest and most educated doctors and psychiatrists I have ever read, suggested that this man's death was due to the loss of hope of getting out of the concentration camp.

2-He had a patient who had lost his wife and who no longer found meaning in life. Frankl simply asked him a question: What would have happened, doctor, if you had died first and your wife had survived you?

The patient said that his wife would be extremely sad, to which Frankl replied: “You have saved her all that suffering; but now he has to pay for it by surviving and mourning his death.

Following that response, the patient took Frankl's hand and left the office. In other words, suffering ceases to be suffering in a certain way the moment it finds meaning.

It also describes how some prisoners felt apathetic, without feelings and even some who already did not care that the Nazis beat them. They already felt so hopeless that they didn't care if they were mistreated.

The case of extreme loss of hope in his history in the concentration camps is that of the men who committed suicide by jumping over electrified fences.

However, Viktor Frankl knew how to find meaning in his ordeal…

How to overcome the existential crisis

Frankl says that he often thought of his wife and that she is what saved his life on many occasions.

He hoped to see her again, although he later found out that she had died, as were her parents.

He also found the meaning of writing his experiences and his theory on Logotherapy. He already had a book written, but when he got to his first field it was taken away. But he did not lose hope and took notes on the ideas he was having to write it again later.

To overcome an existential crisis you need to find meaning in your life and it will usually be based on other people or goals to achieve. That is, you will find meaning in life through a personal relationship and doing things that you like.

Some people are unable to establish positive personal relationships (family, friendship or partner) and they set the sense of having power or earning money. However, this could lead to unhappiness and an endless cycle.

The material does not satisfy, which leads to wanting more material things to feel satisfied. This search for material meaning can lead to very fleeting happiness and feelings of emptiness.

Frankl stated the following:

The next two points are about taking action and having some principle. Suffering refers to accepting that the meaning of life is simply to suffer for some reason (like the previous patient who suffered from the death of his wife).

Follow your passion (take an action)

Nowadays I go to salsa classes and some people tell me: "even though I have the flu, I have come because it is the best of the day" or "I can't go a day without dancing."

It is likely that what makes the most sense to these people's lives is dancing (or at least some of the things that give them meaning). It may seem strange to you although it is the reality, when the rest of their day consists of working in jobs that they dislike.

Why do some older people get up at 7 in the morning, go to the gym, take a walk and are active all day while others no longer find the meaning of living?

In my opinion it is because they have found new passions to live for. Leonardo da Vinci, one of the most passionate and curious men to acquire knowledge, continued working on new projects until shortly before his death.

When you connect with that external passion, it will be absurd to ask yourself about the meaning of life. You won't even understand how you could have done it before.

Personal relationships and work are the key (have a beginning)

If you have an existential crisis, are you doing something that makes you feel good? Do you do a job that you like? Are you meeting your friends Do you socialize?

What gives meaning to life is that you feel that you are valuable for something and someone. Personal relationships and work are the key. So:

• Find a job that you like and that you find meaningful to. Would working in an NGO make more sense for your life? Or teach teenagers?
• Work on your personal relationships. This book may help you.

Understand that life has eras

As Viktor Frankl himself stated, life is not constantly happy, but there are situations and times in which it is normal to feel discouraged.

However, finding that meaning in your life would make you overcome a situation of deep and constant sadness.

Other teachings of Frankl

- We have to stop asking ourselves questions about the meaning of life and, instead, think of ourselves as beings to whom life continually and incessantly inquired. Our answer must be made not of words or meditation, but of upright behavior and action. Ultimately, living means taking responsibility for finding the correct answer to the problems it poses and fulfilling the tasks that life continually assigns to each individual.