User:Mrdavis789/sandbox

Description[edit]
In existentialist philosophy, the term 'existential crisis' specifically relates to the crisis of the individual when they realize that they must always define their own lives through the choices they make. The existential crisis occurs when one recognizes that even the decision to either refrain from action or withhold assent to a particular choice is, in itself, a choice. In other words, humankind is "condemned" to freedom; condemned because although we did not choose it, we are responsible for all of our actions.

An existential crisis may often be provoked by a significant event in the person's life—major loss, the death of a loved one, a life-threatening experience, etc. Usually, it provokes the individual's introspection about personal mortality, thus revealing the psychological repression of said awareness. An existential crisis can be similar to anxiety, depression, anomie, or midlife crisis.

Additionally, existential crises may occur when one's outlook on life or existence changes. Analogously, existentialism posits that a person can and does define the meaning and purpose of his or her life, and therefore must choose to resolve the crisis of existence.

Causes
An existential crisis may result from:


 * Major depressive disorder
 * Depersonalization disorder
 * Borderline personality disorder
 * Schizoid personality disorder
 * Obsessive–compulsive disorder
 * Struggling with addiction
 * Being presented with several options for an important decision
 * Questioning one's identity
 * Prolonged isolation
 * Dissatisfaction with one's life
 * Major psychological trauma
 * The sense of being alone and isolated in the world
 * A new-found grasp or appreciation of one's mortality, perhaps following diagnosis of a major health concern such as a terminal illness
 * Believing that one's life has no purpose or external meaning
 * Uncertainty about old age or the afterlife
 * Fear of death or its inevitability
 * Searching for the meaning of life
 * Shattering of one's sense of reality, or how the world is
 * An extremely pleasurable or hurtful experience that leaves one seeking meaning
 * Realizing that the Universe is larger, more complex, more mysterious, and/or generally beyond present day individual or collective human understanding
 * Experiencing life within a single point of view
 * Evaluation of emotions