What is an Existential Crisis?

People often speak of going through an ‘existential crisis’; but what do they really mean by the term? And when can it be useful to have it to hand?

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Produced in collaboration with Damn Fine Media

[NrgBuster]

Gotta love existential crisises. You're living day to day, then all of a sudden your peace of mind collapses in on itself, you cry and panic, you talk a walk, wonder about human nature, reflect on your actions as a person, then sleep to stop the suffering.

Or is that just me?

[Rexcarsalot]

The earlier this happens to you the better. The earlier that you learn to disregard the expectations of the world around you and live the life you want, the better you will be.

[gabrielborjas]

I'm supposed to be doing homework but I simply can't. It just seems irrelevant when you're having an existential crisis. Everything seems irrelevant when you're having an existential crisis...

Edit: thanks for all your answers. It's funny how 4 years ago that homework seemed to be so important. Flash-forward to now and I'm about to graduate from college in less than a month (september 2022). There's so much more to life than studies, so keep on going, and don't let the academic pressure crush you. You got this <3

[Ashleyherondale]

My existential crisis led me to fail in university.. Am a drop out and a failure because of it.. Set a goal and go after ... Dont let over thinking destroy you

[Pining_for_the_fjords]

I can't figure out if we humans are too intelligent for our own good, too stupid for our own good, or a bit of both.

[robertdegroot]

I'm surprised this video didn't mention anything about the troubling realization that everything we do or may do, and everything in this universe, is ultimately completely pointless.

[carryon]

The feeling of loneliness is one of the most terrible parts. Could we all suffering from existential crisis gather and cry together?

[metishan-ol]

The saddest part abt going thru an existential crisis is that u slowly start giving up on your happiness, motivation, hardwork, feelings, everything. It's like a fight with u against the world. Everybody seems so motivated to achieve certain goals in life but u are just there wondering and questioning certain parts of life and at the end just giving up bcs u know all of this doesn't matter.

[theinfamouskcaj]

Feel like I've been having an existential crisis for my whole life.

[oddball_oddity]

The worst part of experiencing existential crisis/depression is that no one else seems to be having it same as you and you have to tolerate the narrow-minded people around you who don't understand that there's _more_ and _less_ to life-- people who only care about romance and sex, people who only care about studies and career, people who get angry for the most trivial things...

[antonio]

this comment section is amazing. I always thought i was alone and now I've found "my people"

[blue-grey]

"A regret-free life exists only in movies and songs." Thank you. This calms my brain so hopefully it can shut up for a bit. I'm 21 and in an existential crisis. Thanks for the video it helps a lot

[MrTy]

I am only 15 and this is too early I will never get over how pointless and terrifying everything is.

[GabrielKnightz]

"The only true wisdom is in knowing you know nothing. "
~Socrates

[beardedbloke]

Everyone who is depressed about the idea of working up to 40 hours a week for the next 40 years and going through all the stress involved probably has an existential crisis. Society has become rotten and inhumane

[TheBoomshine]

Sometimes I feel like this begins with being a perfectionist/idealist. Wanting to make every moment the perfect one and making it count, so you begin to assess all the options and how they'd affect you, and their meaning... then you realize there are unlimited options and objectively everything is pretty meaningless any way. I often debate between wanting to make a big mark on this world, or just quietly living casually... but it feels like either way would end up being a tragedy.

[Jamesify]

Been there. I had a real existential crisis and its fucking scary. You question EVERYTHING

[titanboa]

one thing caused mine, myself, i realized, life just repeats, like wake up, eat, drink, go somewhere, sleep, repeat, im tired, im tired of this life, i want to change this, i want it to be more exciting, i want it to change, and i WILL change it.

[ikennaunamadu]

I wish I could go back in time to when I was still young and ignorant to how pointless life is.

[Bronsteino]

Yesterday I had another existential crisis. About the reality of death, the question of what the human brain is. And it was eating me up. But then I found an idea that’s so powerful it saved me. The idea is that we can’t know these things. Trying to think about them is like searching around in a deep dark pit with nothing in it. It will TEAR YOU APART. YOU WILL DESTROY YOURSELF. NOTHING CAN COME OF IT. Which is part of the idea of acceptance. We must accept reality, accept life around us. That is the way to continue, that is the way to find joy. Acceptance.