Content

• Steps
• Part 1 of 3: Use a common sense approach
• Part 2 of 3: Making Life Meaningful
• Part 3 of 3: Letting Go of Existential Fears

Sometimes the realization that we are alive and of the human race can cause feelings of fear, anxiety, or anxiety. Such phenomena are usually called existential fear. At times, we are overwhelmed by the "weight" of personal responsibility or pressure at work that we cannot control. Despite the scale of the problem, a person is able to overcome such feelings and find meaning in life.

Steps

Part 1 of 3: Use a common sense approach

1. 1 Ask questions. If you are experiencing existential fear, then try to find meaning in life. For example, try asking questions. Consider the following: “Who am I? Why am I here? What is my purpose? ”. Questions like these can both trigger feelings of anxiety or fear, or be the key to the meaning of life.
2. 2 Think of fear as information. Take your time to instantly react to fear, stop and analyze your thoughts. Try to change your attitude to fear: "How did this fear arise and under the influence of what reasons?" Explore fear with curiosity.
   • For example, if you have a fear of death, then try to figure it out. Don't think about negative feelings or get distracted by dark thoughts. Pay attention to the fear itself and be curious. What can you learn about yourself from such fear?
3. 3 Make a connection between existential fear and your life. Sometimes existential fears are associated with other fears or events in life. Analyze fear in order to find purpose in life, and also think about big changes in order to find a new purpose.
   • For example, fear of death or cessation of existence may be due to the fact that you have no control over your own life. Unhealthy relationships and boring work can be the cause of uncontrolled behavior.
   • Identify the reasons for this feeling and make changes in your life to gain control over the situation. See a marriage counselor or move on to a new job.
4. 4 Take responsibility. Fear breeds feelings of helplessness or "trap." Complete freedom can be overwhelming. Conversely, limiting your freedoms creates a sense of trap and despair. Realize that you are free to make decisions and are truly free. While recognizing freedom, it is necessary to understand that responsibility is an integral part of freedom. All your decisions have certain consequences, for which only you are responsible.
   • Sometimes it seems that a person is “stuck” at work, in a city, in a marriage, or in a specific situation. Do not forget that you can feel freedom at any time in your life. It is also important to acknowledge the full consequences of your decisions and take full responsibility for them.
5. 5 Keep hope. It may seem that you have failed and life does not matter anymore. Your actions can be very different. Only you make the decision to succumb to fear or to look at the situation from a different angle. For example, in a fit of existential fear, accept the fact that a person who can feel anxiety and fear can experience very different feelings - peace and safety. Maintain hope and overcome fear.
   • Realize your strengths and understand that even in a hopeless situation, you still have positive qualities and strengths that you can use to your advantage. Write down a list of your strengths to understand what to build on in a particular situation.
   • Also check out our article on hope.

Part 2 of 3: Making Life Meaningful

1. 1 Develop close relationships. Friends and relatives alone are not enough for a fulfilling life. Friends and family help to find happiness, and close relationships with other people contribute to personal development, a sense of the depth of life and a close connection with the world.
   • Don't be afraid to show your sincerity and vulnerability to those you love. Make time for all the important people and make the relationship meaningful. Share thoughts, emotions, experiences and difficulties, goals and achievements.
   • Living in isolation becomes empty, and a sense of community creates depth and overall well-being.
2. 2 Live in the present. At times, it seems that different decisions in the past would have given us more happiness or satisfaction. You can also live with thoughts about the future, constantly ponder options and ask the question “What if?”. It is necessary to learn to live in the here and now in order to cope with existential fear. Let go of the past and don't rely only on the future. Focus on what's going on now.
   • If you say to yourself “I followed to do so ”or“ How it's a pitythat I didn’t do it ”, then go back to the present moment and think“ What can I do right now?”
3. 3 Look for meaning in the past, present, and future. Living in the present will allow you to focus and protect yourself from regret, but a fulfilling existence includes the past, present and future together. Analyze what past events have contributed to the development of your strengths, spirit, and emotional well-being. Figure out how to use your best qualities to influence the future.
   • Look for ways to connect past, present, and future with meaningful purpose. For example, if you are involved in sports, then aim to take part in competitions. All the training, injury, mistakes, and frustrations have resulted in you now having the skills to compete. In the future, explore ways to solve problems and apply them in new situations.
4. 4 Take challenges. Difficult situations and emotions are not only inevitable, they can bring people together. Everyone in life goes through difficulties, pain and suffering. Don't try to escape in difficult situations. Try to accept the challenge and deal with your emotions. Find meaning in every day of your life.
   • The meaning may lie in the benefits of the lessons learned. Consider: “How did this event affect my life and what lessons did I learn from this experience?”
   • People love stories of overcoming obstacles and the strength gained from conquering fear. This theme runs like a red thread in fiction and biographies of real people ("The Wizard of the Emerald City", "Jeanne d'Arc" and "Mulan", Maria Curie and Helen Keller).
5. 5 Appreciate yourself. Express yourself and pursue goals. Your contribution to this world is also valuable. Do what you enjoy and enjoy.
   • Someone loves to help others, and someone feels the fullness of life, climbing a steep cliff. Passions are important for identifying yourself, they give a sense of joy, and also help you to better understand your own personality.
   • Express yourself through actions that bring you happiness. Explore your creativity through music, dance, painting, public speaking, literature, or other activities.

Part 3 of 3: Letting Go of Existential Fears

1. 1 Use existential therapy. This direction of psychotherapy is based on the ideas of personal responsibility and freedom. A person should not blame others for negative events or emotions, but should recognize their influence on a number of aspects of life and use such influence. Such therapy focuses mainly on the ability to know oneself and make decisions. The main task is to discover the strength in yourself. The therapist helps to get out of the abyss of anxiety and move into the world of decisions and consequences of their own free will.
   • A therapist may ask you to develop creativity, love, be sincere, and embrace free will to transform consciousness and overcome fear through finding meaning in life.
   • Try to find an existential psychotherapist in your city.
2. 2 Medicines. One study found that pain relievers can ease symptoms of existential fear. Based on the belief that pain is more than just physical discomfort, the researchers looked at the effects of taking acetaminophen and concluded that the analgesic relieves some of the symptoms of existential fear and insecurity.
   • Paracetamol is available over the counter as a pain reliever, but be sure to talk to your doctor about using this drug to combat existential fears. Such use does not correspond to the registered indications, and some people may experience allergies and other reactions to paracetamol.
3. 3 Children. Some people worry less about death if they already have children or plan to become parents. Children allow parents to pass on their knowledge and feel that they will somehow live in children even after death.
   • For example, children may inherit a love for animals, and a figure skating person will be happy to watch their child at the rink.
   • Think carefully before you have a baby. Children shouldn't be just a way to save yourself from existential fears.
4. 4 Learn to doubt and leave unanswered questions. There is no need to ask questions for any reason. Look for a balance between curiosity and the ability to decide “I don’t know and this is okay”. Learn to distinguish between situations in which an answer is not required.
   • Keep curious and keep asking questions. If there are too many questions, then it should be admitted - no one knows all the answers. It is quite normal to ask questions and not find an unambiguous answer to them.