The use of these expressions can make light of what is an incredibly painful space to be in.

An existential crisis can really happen at any time and is defined by having a searching for meaning and purpose in one’s life. They may start to ruminate over the meaning of life and what purpose they have in this world.  It can impact daily functioning because without the answers to the big questions, what is the point?

It may be that this ‘crisis’ comes about as a result of overwhelming guilt about something, the loss of a loved one, facing one’s own death, feeling socially isolated, having a general dissatisfaction with oneself and having a history of bottling up one’s emotions.

If you find yourself deeply disturbed by the purpose of life, the seeming meaninglessness of it all, an anxiety about death and preoccupation with the afterlife or even some obsessive compulsive tendencies where you cannot rest without the answers to the ‘BIG’ questions, then it may be time to find connection and support with a psychotherapist who can walk alongside you and support you in a pathway forward through what seems like an inescapable cycle.