4 tips for dealing with the existential crisis –

Going through an existential crisis? So, know that this can happen in individuals of different age groups, whether at 18 or 40 years old. After all, who has never asked themselves about their life: am I happy at work? Am I with the right person? do I want to have children?

According to Monica Machadopsychologist, founder of Clínica Ame.C, post-graduated in Psychoanalysis and Mental Health from the Albert Einstein Hospital Teaching and Research Institute, restlessness about life is normal, since we are in constant transformation and are also influenced by changes accelerated from the outside world.

“The problem is when you can’t deal with the questions, resulting in an existential crisis”, says the psychologist.

What can trigger the existential crisis?

Most of the time, the existential crisis starts with some kind of dissatisfaction, a questioning about a specific aspect of life, generating constant and daily anguish.

Monica Machado explains that the situation can reach an intolerable point, where the person starts to have confusion about their own identity, in addition to having a chronic concern about their purpose in life.

“The crises and adversities of life occur almost always unpredictably. How to deal with them will largely depend on resilience, the ability to face changes and make decisions,” he says.

How to deal?

The existential crisis is a moment in which the person suffers with anguish and questions himself about the most varied aspects. Generally, the situation calms down and the individual manages to follow his trajectory relatively well with himself.

However, the person can also end up becoming hostage to their own conflict, mainly because of the fear of committing to new circumstances and undermining their physical and emotional security.

“The dread of making decisions that could change the whole course of a life can paralyze people, preventing them from achieving their goals. However, there is no easy choice, as there is always something that is lost in making a decision. Risks are part of changes, but you have to assume them so as not to limit your life and your identity”, points out the psychologist.

To deal with the moment, it is essential to modify your perspectives and seek your life purpose.

1

don’t pressure yourself

An emotional barrier can be created due to a new behavior that can lead to a definitive action.

Initial motivation can become a trap by causing excessive effort at the beginning of the process and giving up halfway through.

However, the good news is that, through mental reprogramming, it is possible to adopt new changes without feeling pressure for it.

Try to decide your goals in the short, medium and long term, depending on the degree of difficulty of each one. Don’t forget to be realistic in understanding how much time and availability it will take to consolidate your changes.

two

Make a checklist of your life

Reflect on who you are, what your values ​​are and where you want to go. Realize if you’re feeling happy with the life you lead or are just accommodated.

That way, you can recognize what’s wrong, what you want to change and what your priorities are, important points for you to start seeing the possibilities of building a new way of living.

3

Don’t be afraid of changes

When faced with changes, many people may see them as something bad, as they feel out of their comfort zone.

However, sometimes, it is necessary to abandon the life we ​​had planned, because we are no longer the same people. In fact, we are in eternal mutation, both internally and due to the need to follow the evolution of the world around us.

The psychologist reports that sometimes it is necessary to change course, especially when you feel that you no longer identify with the plans you had made.

“Trace goals that are aligned with your current ‘self’, with your new perspectives on life. This evolution will help you make coherent choices and walk more productive paths, preventing you from wasting time on what no longer interests you”, he ponders.

4

get therapy

Professional help is very important in cases where the individual already has some emotional blockage, anxiety disorder or difficulty getting out of the comfort zone and adapting to the new. Therapy helps in developing the potential to face the challenges that may arise at all times.

“Psychotherapies provide the possibility of personal development, based on the investigation of the person’s way of being. As individuals broaden and deepen their knowledge of themselves, they have new instruments to better deal with obstacles and inevitable doubts throughout life”, concludes Monica Machado.