Existential Anxiety: Causes, Symptoms, and Treatment

We all think about death and our life purpose now and again. But if you find yourself endlessly worrying about when you’ll die, the meaning of life, or your place in the universe — and this worrying is getting in the way of daily life — you might be experiencing existential anxiety.

We’ll go over what this type of anxiety actually is, as well as the symptoms, causes, and treatment options for existential anxiety.

Existential anxiety — also known as existential dread or existential angst — is generally defined as having frequent, distressing thoughts about death, life’s meaning, and your existence.

There isn’t a set definition, but the American Psychological Association defines existential anxiety as a general sense of despair over the inevitability of death.

You might find yourself questioning many things in your life or asking, “What’s the point?” or “Why does any of this matter?”

Thinking about existential themes — like death and meaning — is normal. For some folks, these thoughts can be comforting or even help them find a sense of purpose.

But if you have existential anxiety, you may find yourself dwelling on these thoughts for long periods. This can cause intense stress and anxiety and impact your quality of life.

Existential anxiety can almost be thought of as increased regular anxiety.

Typical anxiety may make a person worry about work pressure, money problems, or getting into a car accident while driving. These worries can usually be resolved through reassuring thoughts.

Existential anxiety is more difficult to resolve immediately. Why? This type of anxiety is brought on by big questions about life, death, meaning, and existence that can be hard to answer or reconcile with.

For instance, you may fret about what happens after death or feel anxious that you’re living a meaningless life — not exactly easy problems to solve.

You might have heard of a similar term: existential crisis, sometimes called an identity crisis.

There’s no set existential crisis definition, but it’s generally seen as a period of questioning who you are and what you want to do with your life. This might cause despair, anxiety, and depression, potentially affecting your relationships and quality of life.

An existential crisis might follow an event or period in your life that causes upheaval, pose existential questions about your life’s purpose and meaning, or even have you confront your eventual death.

For example, existential crises can be triggered by:

• The death of a loved one

• Serious illness

• Sudden changes in life circumstances

• Global or national events

• Getting older

So, existential crisis examples could include when you’re going to college and panicking over your new identity. Or it could arise while going through a divorce and questioning who you are without your ex.

The key difference between existential crisis and existential anxiety is that an existential crisis might be short-lived, whereas existential anxiety may be long-term.

There’s no set list of existential anxiety symptoms, and everyone experiences it differently. However, existential anxiety symptoms may include:

• Distressing thoughts about your purpose in life and death

• Feeling like life is meaningless

• Feelings of uncertainty

• Loneliness

• Stress

• Feeling out of control or helpless

• Questioning previously held beliefs

• Anxiety

• Depression

If you’re going through an existential crisis, you might experience:

• Questions about your identity

• Withdrawing from people

• Despair

• Panic attacks

• Anxiety

• Depression

Keep reading to learn about why this can happen and what might cause it.

It’s not always clear what causes existential anxiety.

But it may be caused or triggered by:

• Exposure to disasters (including the COVID-19 pandemic)

• Traumatic life events

• Doomscrolling and negative news stories

• Fear of making decisions you’ll regret

• Having to make big decisions, like choosing a career path

• Life transitions, like going to college or getting a divorce

• Losing a loved one

• Serious illness

There are some interesting studies on the triggers of existential anxiety.

For instance, a 2016 study looked at over 300 adolescents who lived through natural disasters — in this case, hurricanes. It found that many of them experienced existential anxiety. The participants also had high levels of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and depressive symptoms.

More recently, a 2024 study on 800 students found that doomscrolling was associated with higher levels of existential anxiety. The researchers suggested that prolonged exposure to negative news stories — think headlines about war, terrorism, fraud, and shootings — could contribute to the development of existential anxiety.

As for anxiety in general, it’s not entirely clear what causes that, either. It may come down to a mix of genetic factors, brain chemistry, and environment. And it’s unclear if these factors have anything to do with the development of existential anxiety.

Diagnosing existential anxiety isn’t easy, as there isn’t a specific test for it.

If you’ve reached out to a healthcare provider or mental health specialist about existential anxiety, they may start by asking about your symptoms.

Your provider might also ask about your personal life, such as whether you’ve been through any traumatic experiences or major life changes.

But existential anxiety isn’t a formal diagnosis like some other forms of anxiety. So your provider may look into other types of anxiety, such as generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) or social anxiety.

A healthcare provider might ask you to fill out a questionnaire or complete a diagnostic test for other types of anxiety. They may also want to run tests to rule out other medical problems that could be behind your symptoms.

They may test your:

• Blood

• Urine

• Thyroid function

We know it can be scary to talk to someone about feelings of existential anxiety — or any mental health issues, for that matter. Still, it’s vital to be honest here. Giving your healthcare provider all the info they need can help them find the best treatment plan for you.

Speaking of treatment plans…

Unlike other mental health conditions like generalized anxiety disorder or depression, there isn’t a specific treatment plan for existential anxiety. There are, however, ways to work through and overcome it.

One of the best ways to do this is by exploring and examining the feelings and questions that come up. Working with a mental health professional can help you better understand your emotions, learn more about yourself, and find meaning to counteract existential thoughts.

Two types of therapy that may be useful for existential anxiety:

• Existential therapy. Existential therapy helps people identify difficulties and questions about the human experience and themselves, then learn to fully embrace them both.

• Logotherapy. Logotherapy focuses on finding meaning in life and using this meaning to overcome hardships and deal with existential concerns around death or meaninglessness. It’s based on the work of Viktor Frankl, a holocaust survivor and psychologist.

If you know the root of your existential thoughts — such as a specific event or illness — you might benefit from talking to a therapist or joining a relevant support group and learning coping strategies.

Other ways to cope with existential anxiety:

• Reconnect with people. Reestablishing connections with the people who love and support you can provide space to talk about the feelings you’re having. You might want to withdraw, but try taking small steps to stay connected, like phoning a friend or meeting up for a low-stakes activity like grabbing a coffee together.

• Practice gratitude. Research shows that feeling more gratitude can help you feel more satisfied with your life. Keeping a gratitude journal, in particular, may help you focus on all the good in your life and even find more meaning.

• Don’t look back. If you’re racked with guilt over a past life choice, try to focus on the present moment instead and where you want your life to go. Most of us have some kind of regret — the key is to not let it consume you. You can’t change the past, but it’s never too late to shape your future.

• Be present. Practicing mindfulness — living and being fully present in the current moment — can help with anxiety about the future and reduce stress. Try meditating, deep-breathing exercises, and taking in your surroundings.

If you’re experiencing existential panic attacks, generalized anxiety, or depressive symptoms as a result of existential anxiety, there are specific treatments for these too.

For example:

• Panic attacks. In the moment, try breathing exercises to calm a panic attack. In the long term, psychotherapy and medications may stop attacks from happening.

• Anxiety. Anxiety can be treated with therapy — such as cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) or exposure therapy — and anxiety medications like antidepressants or beta-blockers.

• Depression. Depression can also be treated with therapy and medication. Your healthcare provider might recommend CBT or interpersonal therapy along with antidepressants like selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs).

Remember that thinking about your own mortality and life’s meaning isn’t necessarily a bad thing. It could help you reevaluate your life — whether you’re with the right person or in the right job, for instance — and make changes to become a happier you.

But if existential thoughts become consuming, it’s worth reaching out for support and help overcoming them.

Here’s the TL;DR on existential anxiety:

• Existential anxiety is a type of anxiety that comes from thinking about your existence or death. While this is a fairly normal part of the human experience, it can cause feelings of dread, loneliness, and unease for some people — and it can linger or get in the way of daily life.

• If you have existential anxiety, you may grapple with feelings of meaninglessness or uncertainty, question life’s purpose, or find yourself disconnecting from friends and family.

• While there’s no traditional treatment plan for this type of anxiety, talking about what you’re thinking and feeling with loved ones or a therapist can help you find resolution and a sense of peace.

If you’re experiencing symptoms of existential anxiety that are substantially interfering with your life, other types of anxiety, depression, or any other mental health issues, connect with one of our licensed healthcare providers online through our psychiatry platform. They can help you find the best treatments to help you take back control of your mental health.

This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. The information contained herein is not a substitute for and should never be relied upon for professional medical advice. Always talk to your doctor about the risks and benefits of any treatment. Learn more about our editorial standards here.