Do You Think Life is Meaningless?

Introduction

Do you think life is meaningless? Ideally, every individual has felt a looming emptiness and lack of purpose in life at some time or another. But, some instances can cause lingering and long-term feelings of meaninglessness. Seeing life as meaningless means having no sense of goal or direction. 

Sometimes, feelings of meaninglessness are also accompanied by feelings of being lost or hopeless. 

Various causes and approaches to dealing with these feelings are mentioned below. 

Why Do You Think Life Is Meaningless?

Without a doubt, life does not become meaningless overnight. Rather, it is a slow and gradual descent into losing motivation, a sense of direction, hope, and so on. You might not realize it initially, but over time, you find yourself losing meaning in anything and everything. 

Therefore, it is of utmost importance to explore the process that has culminated in meaninglessness. Also, from a mental health perspective, the emptiness could point towards more pervasive issues and difficulty in coping with life stressors. Figuring out when life started losing meaning and what the possible areas of your life that are related to it could be will help you. 

Alongside, exploring and introspection can help you understand how the meaningless might be correlated with other important areas of your life. For instance, if you feel unmotivated in your job or stuck in monotony without excitement and challenges. Your lifestyle is deeply connected to how you perceive life.  

Is It True, Life Is Meaningless?

On one hand, the perspective of seeing life as meaningless isn’t unique or even recent. Many philosophers, poets, etc., have questioned the meaning of life and come to the dark conclusion that there is no meaning. The wide availability of texts, discussions, and other literature will make you believe that it is indeed true.

On the other hand, rarely has this perspective existed without an underlying cause, which is the origin of this perspective. Those with recurring meaninglessness have origins of deprived childhood, encountered scarcity or neglect, and have had episodes of depression. This deeply impacts the brain as well as the mind’s ability to find meaning, hope, and purpose in life. 

As mentioned above, childhood emotional neglect can create low self-esteem and make life seem like a burden. If you had a troubled childhood, you learned to live life with difficulty and, as an adult, might continue to do so as your biology is used to it.  Furthermore, neglect teaches you not to prioritize your happiness and needs and instead continue to bear the burden. 

Depression And Life Is Meaningless

Essentially, depression is a mental health condition that is associated with mood swings, negative thoughts, and pervasive sadness. In depression, chemicals associated with pleasure and happiness, such as dopamine and serotonin, get affected. This leads you to not experience otherwise pleasurable activities and difficulty in feeling happiness and satisfaction. 

Henceforth, if you have depression, you are more likely to see life as meaningless as a result of the condition and its impact on your brain. Additionally, if you are depressed, the combination of negative thoughts and low moods will make you question your motivation to perform tasks.  

Finally, depression leads to long-term self-perception of being helpless and seeing no hope for the future. This further increases the feelings of emptiness and meaninglessness. Depression is not always easy to spot and can go undiagnosed for several years before you can make the connection between depression and seeing life as meaningless. 

How To Find A Meaningful Life?

For this purpose,  to find a meaningful life, several areas of life have to be adjusted. 

Motivation: Popularly, a meaningful life is one where you can stay motivated and have a definite purpose for your existence. 

Positivity: More importantly, to inculcate positivity, you have to surround yourself with people who provide you with support, love, and motivation to keep moving ahead in life. Several other factors, such as mental health, emotional well-being, and physical health, also influence your ability to maintain positivity. 

Self-exploration and introspection: As mentioned above, adjustment requires time and patience. More importantly, to bring change, you will have first to explore and identify areas of your life that are connected to the feelings of emptiness and meaninglessness. This can be done through self-exploration and introspection. 

Professional psychotherapist or counselor: Moreover, if you are still unable to figure out how to find a meaningful life, consider reaching out to a professional. A professional psychotherapist or counselor with experience in existential, spiritual, and religious philosophies can guide you in finding a more enriching life. They can help you readjust your perspectives for better well-being and a positive outlook on life.  

What Should I Do If Life Appears Meaningless?

By the same token, if you find yourself constantly finding life meaningless, it’s best to explore the possible causes behind it. Firstly, start with reflection and introspection, and explore when and what it is that makes life appear meaningless. It might be helpful for you to consider any major life-changing decision or health issues that have started at the same time. 

Secondly, do not be afraid to reach out for help. You are more likely to get to the bottom of concerns with fresh perspectives from others. You could start by reaching out to your partner, friend, or family member. Alternatively, you could also connect with a mental health professional to find out possible causes, such as depression and emotional concerns. 

Ultimately, it is necessary to see your perspective on life as dynamic and ever-changing. This will not only help you pass times of meaninglessness and emptiness but also help you savor the more fulfilling phases of your life.  Awareness of life as a flowing process that inevitably changes will help you not go too deep into the feelings of meaninglessness. 

Conclusion

All in all, in this article, we discussed how life can appear meaningless due to several reasons associated with childhood, mental health, and lifestyle. Furthermore, we explored how depression can influence and change your perspective on life. And that a mental health professional can help you figure out how to cope with seeing life as meaningless. To find quality healthcare professionals and find out more, connect to United We Care. 

References

[1] F. Sun, M. Wu, Y. Yao, C. Chiang, and C. Lu, “Meaning in life as a mediator of the associations among depression, hopelessness, and suicidal ideation: a path analysis,” Journal of Psychiatric and Mental Health Nursing, vol. 29, no. 1, Feb. 2021, doi: https://doi.org/10.1111/jpm.12739.

[2] S. A. Kass, “The Simplicity of the Divine: Finding Meaning in a Meaningless World,” PsycCRITIQUES, vol. 61, no. 31, 2016, doi: https://doi.org/10.1037/a0040484.