Existential anxiety is a fear or feeling of unease that occurs from contemplating life, existence, and death. It often involves fundamental questions surrounding the meaning of life, a person’s purpose, the nature of reality, and freedom.
This type of anxiety can lead to feelings of dread, despair, and a sense of purposelessness. Recognizing the signs of existential anxiety can provide insight into how it manifests and what you can do to move forward if you’re experiencing it. Let’s learn more about the signs of existential anxiety.
Lack of Purpose or Meaning
One of the most common signs of existential anxiety is a sense of purposelessness and meaninglessness. Individuals who are struggling with existential anxiety will find themselves questioning their own value or the purpose of things like their daily tasks and routines, achievements, and relationships. This can lead them to feel like nothing they do—or their very existence—actually matters.
Fear of the Unknown
Another key sign of existential anxiety is a fear of dying or a fear of the unknown. We will all be faced with death at some point, and a certain amount of fear around death is common, but people with existential anxiety will sometimes fixate on death and dying. This preoccupation can appear as panic, dread, or unease about dying and what comes after death.
Loss of Direction
People with existential anxiety will experience a loss of direction or confusion with their own identity. They may start to question who they really are and what they should be doing with their life.
The loss of direction can cause an identity crisis, and an identity crisis can cause a loss of direction. This can turn into a vicious cycle where a person will become unsure of their true values, beliefs, and goals. So much uncertainty can even bring about changes in their lifestyle and career.
Detachment
Detachment and emotional numbness can be other signs of existential anxiety. Instead of a person feeling emotions like sadness, joy, or anger, a person who is emotionally numb and detached will experience more of an empty or hollow feeling. This is often used as a defense mechanism to avoid the overwhelming fears that come along with existential anxiety.
Overthinking
Negative thoughts and feelings are common signs of anxiety disorders. Existential anxiety can involve constant rumination, in which a person will obsess over different areas of their life and the world they live in. They can go on an endless search trying to find a deeper meaning to it all.
This overthinking and rumination can have them questioning, analyzing, and revisiting past decisions, relationships, and life experiences. While it’s fine and healthy to reflect from time to time, excessive rumination can cause issues with daily functioning and even prevent people from acting or making decisions, putting them in a state of paralysis.
Isolation
Experiencing anxiety can feel extremely lonely and isolating, especially in the case of existential anxiety. Someone who is dealing with existential anxiety might feel that no one can truly understand them. Even when they’re surrounded by people who love and care for them, they can still experience alienation or disconnection.
How to Get Help
The signs of existential anxiety can include confusion, emotional numbness, fear of death, and meaninglessness. This form of anxiety can prevent a person from being able to grow because they’re too fixated on finding their true purpose, developing a greater self-awareness, and seeking a deeper understanding.
Becoming more aware of the signs of existential anxiety is one of the first steps you can take toward navigating the condition and better managing it. Reach out today to see how therapy for anxiety can help you find resilience during this time.
