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Jul 7, 2023 · The space environment will grow more intense as more humans venture to more locations – and situations. Space psychology, a vital long-term field of study at NASA, is gaining special importance ...
They can also feel isolated, bored and lonely, and these feelings are likely to increase during future deep-space missions, when contact with Mission Control and loved ones on Earth becomes less frequent. Other effects that they may face include: stress and anxiety. fatigue. sleep problems due to lack of natural light and disrupted sleep cycles.
Nov 6, 2014 · Perhaps you see a point in living a life of your own design and also a point in gaining approval from others. ... help people reorganize their points by listening to the struggle and searching for ...
- Overview
- Signs and symptoms
- Does it only affect ‘gifted’ people?
- Coping tips
- Professional treatment
- The bottom line
Life’s largest questions often have no answers. Still, it’s human nature to ask — and human nature to feel dissatisfied with uncertainty and unknowing.
At some point in life, you might begin to consider complex questions:
•“Why do people suffer?”
•“What happens after death?”
•“What’s the point of my life?”
•“What if I never find love?”
It’s pretty common to question your existence and place in the world after experiencing trauma, loss, religious trauma, crisis of faith, or another life-altering event.
Existential questioning generally centers on four main topics:
•death, including the awareness of its inevitability and what happens afterward
•freedom, or the sheer magnitude of choices (and consequences) available to you in life
•isolation, or disconnection from others and the eventual loss of important relationships
•meaninglessness, or wondering what point your life has
Some researchers and psychologists have suggested existential depression shows up more commonly in gifted and talented people, including:
•artists and other creative individuals
•scientists
•intellectuals
•highly sensitive people
Keep in mind, though, that “more common” doesn’t necessarily mean “exclusive.” Anyone can experience depression, and you don’t have to be “gifted,” so to speak, to consider (or agonize over) the deeper meaning of life.
Create your own meaning
Your actions and choices shape how your life plays out. Of course, you can’t control everything that happens, but you can make changes — large or small — that help you live more purposefully. •If you fear losing loved ones, make sure they know just how much they mean to you and enjoy the time you have together to the fullest. •If you believe you haven’t contributed much to the world, share what resources you do have: time, energy, kindness, compassion. Even actions that seem tiny or insignificant to you, like running an errand for a neighbor, volunteering in your community, or listening to a friend’s struggles, can have a huge impact for others. •If you struggle to find meaning in your life, spend some time exploring your personal values — creativity, honesty, gratitude, empathy, curiosity, and so on. In what ways do your choices already align with them? Can you identify any actions that might help reaffirm those values and create a new sense of purpose?
Share your feelings
Talking to trusted loved ones about emotional distress can usually have benefit, no matter the source of that distress. Close friends and family who’ve spent time questioning similar concepts for themselves may have some words of comfort and insight to offer. While you might not realize exactly how you add meaning to the lives of others, the people who care for you certainly do. Recognizing the part you play in their lives can often help add a sense of purpose to your own life. Even loved ones who don’t spend much time thinking about life’s bigger questions can still validate your feelings and offer emotional support, helping renew feelings of connection and easing some of your pain and despair. No one to talk to? A therapist can also offer support (more on this later).
Transform uncertainty into growth
According to Dabrowski’s theory of positive disintegration, some types of emotional distress, including feelings of anxiety or depression, happen naturally as part of personality development. These symptoms don’t mean there’s anything “wrong” with you. Rather, they suggest a process of growth and evolution into your ideal self. Along this line of thinking, existential depression can eventually lead to what Dabrowski termed reintegration. This involves a new level of deeper understanding, self-awareness, and self-acceptance. The path to reintegration generally involves reconciling yourself to existential questions and distress and learning to manage these feelings through choices that add meaning to your life, such as living out personal values.
Depression won’t always improve without professional support.
Existential worries and despair can eventually:
•contribute to feelings of isolation and loneliness
•affect personal relationships and day-to-day life
•lead to hopelessness or thoughts of suicide
If feelings of depression last longer than a few weeks, reaching out for support is a good next step.
No one can predict the future or resolve all of humanity’s difficulties, and existential questions can weigh heavily, once asked.
You may not arrive at any satisfying conclusions, even after weeks, months, or years of exploration, and this lack of answers might leave you fixating on these mysteries and doubts. Life wouldn’t be quite the same, though, without the anticipation and excitement of possibilities waiting ahead.
Much of life is an unknown, but know this: Your life already has meaning, even if your journey to discover that meaning has yet to unfold.
Crystal Raypole has previously worked as a writer and editor for GoodTherapy. Her fields of interest include Asian languages and literature, Japanese translation, cooking, natural sciences, sex positivity, and mental health. In particular, she’s committed to helping decrease stigma around mental health issues.
Aug 31, 2022 · You’re in good company. Maybe you’re reassessing your life because you’ve achieved your goals and still feel empty. Maybe your original goal was taken from you–a lost career, a health ...
Mar 8, 2024 · The endless scrutiny caused her to take careful stock of how many feelings she could reveal to avoid being deemed unfit for life in space and then grounded, literally. Space: The Longest Goodbye ...
Jun 4, 2022 · Astronauts have been venturing into space for 61 years to unlock the human potential for exploration. But the floating freedom offered by a lack of gravity also presents a number of limits when it ...
