Pro Tips Link Copied 03.27.25

How to Deal With All Your Existential Dread

Ever feel like everything is on fire and we’re all gonna die? Same. BySam Brodsky

Shutterstock / Wondermind

If thinking about the political climate, the actual climate, or...you know...the reality of death leaves you feeling extremely sad or scared, you might be familiar with existential dread.

Basically, existential dread is hopelessness and anxiety about an uncertain future and/or the inevitability of dying, says clinical psychologist and certified grief professional Cynthia Shaw, PsyD.

This dread can make you ask some pretty big questions like, Why am I here? What’s the point? What does ~this all~ mean?  On top of that, you can feel fatigued, depressed, or just super apathetic, Dr. Shaw adds. 

We’re often confronted with this type of dread when we realize the limitations of being human. I first experienced it after learning about planets and stars. I felt helpless because we’re so minuscule compared to everything else out there. And I was confused about what I, at the ripe old age of 6, was supposed to be doing with my time. I was not OK.

Maybe your first taste of existential dread was similar. Or maybe a serious illness or death in your family made you realize no one’s health is guaranteed, and you started spiraling about the meaning of life, says Dr. Shaw. Perhaps celebrating birthdays—where you’re another year older—flips your existential dread switch. “Any human is going to question their sense of purpose, who they are, and the point of life,” Dr. Shaw says. 

Existential dread can also be a part of mental health conditions like depressive disorders, anxiety disorders, and trauma- and stressor-related disorders (think: an adjustment disorder or PTSD), she says. 

Regardless of why you’re feeling this way, learning to manage existential dread can improve your outlook on life and help you live more intentionally. So, here’s how to deal with existential dread when it hits, according to mental health professionals.

1. Lean into the good parts of being alive. 

When tragedy strikes or you’re questioning what it means to exist, finding the good in life won’t completely end your worries. That said, focusing on stuff you’re grateful to enjoy can shift your perspective. When you do, it’s easier to see that life isn’t all  bad all the time. That can make your existential dread less heavy, says Dr. Shaw. 

You can write in a gratitude journal or spend a few minutes before bed reflecting on three things from your day that went well, suggests Dr. Shaw. If that’s a bit tedious for you, kickstart your morning with one thing that feels good—even if it’s just a coffee, she says. 

You can also prioritize activities outside your day-to-day that make you feel grateful to be alive, says life coach and licensed therapist Bryony Smith, LMHC. Go on a hike. Study—like, really study—the plants outside your window. Take a trip to a local art museum. Listen to a sermon. Star gaze. (I’ll be skipping that one since space freaks me out, but you should give it a go!) Soaking in awe can actually help you be happy overall.

2. Have a good cry.  

Acknowledging that there’s sadness underneath your existential dread can feel uncomfortable, especially if you’re someone who keeps your emotions inside. But crying is a temporary release from all that, says Smith.

The truth is, stuffing your sadness down doesn’t make it go away. So, you might as well let it out and feel your feelings. Crying may also be a nice break from your thought spirals—Why am I here? What’s the meaning of life if we’re all gonna die?  That break, paired with the emotional release of crying, can help you feel calmer, Smith notes.

Then, once you’re calm, you can figure out how to address your big life questions. Which brings us to…

3. Do what gives you purpose.

Spiraling over thoughts like, What am I doing with my life?  (been there) and, I have no control over literally anything!  (ditto) can leave you feeling like any decision you make is pointless. But reflecting on your values (which may require some self-discovery) and using those to guide what you do—or don’t do—can give you a stronger sense of purpose, says Dr. Shaw. It can help you feel better about your life's direction.

And, as a bonus, doing the things that fill you up makes life more enjoyable so you’re less likely to stress about the inevitable end of it, says psychologist Carl Weems, PhD, professor in Iowa State University’s department of human development and family studies. Morbid but true! “You don't have to save the world. You can really experience great fulfillment and purpose even from the smallest of experiences, such as lending a helping hand to a stranger,” Dr. Shaw notes. 

So pinpoint the things that mean the most to you and act on them. If it’s the environment, rally your neighbors to step up their recycling game. If it’s time and space to be creative, maybe pick up a fiction writing class online. Whatever your values, the goal is to align with them in whatever way makes sense for you.

4. Hone in on what you can control. 

Being human means we can’t control everything. Natural disasters happen, bodies age, and time keeps on ticking. That unfair and overwhelming reality can lead to existential dread. But, focusing on where you have power diverts your attention to things worth your time and energy, Dr. Shaw says. Then, it’s easier to let go of what you don’t  have power over—even if you’re still upset about it, she adds.

For example, death is (unfortunately) inevitable. There’s not much you can do about that. But you can make the most of your life right now, do things that help you live longer or healthier, and enjoy time with your people while they’re still here. You don’t work on Capitol Hill, but you can advocate for changes you want to see. You’re not as helpless as you think.

5. Take a break.

When your mind races amid an existential dread spiral, it can feel like the heaviness of the world is crashing on you. But doing something to distract yourself from those intense thoughts can get you out of anxiety mode, says Dr. Weems, who has studied existential anxiety. (Side note: Existential anxiety is usually intertwined with existential dread, and some mental health professionals use them interchangeably.)

Obviously, distraction isn’t a long-term solution, says Dr. Weems. Eventually, you’ll need to deal with what’s bothering you or you’ll never learn to cope with it or move past it. But, when existential dread pops up at an inconvenient time, try to occupy yourself with something completely unrelated to whatever triggered it. If it was reading your news alerts, spend some time away from your phone by going on a walk, reading a fantasy novel, or laughing your ass off to Ted Lasso. If it was a conversation that got dark, change the subject to something uplifting, like your weekend plans or a trip you’ve got in the works.

6. Focus on the here and now.

The anxiety you feel from existential dread can ramp up your heart rate, mess with your breathing, make you sweat, and spin your thoughts out of control, says Dr. Shaw. But grounding practices that aim to get you back in the moment can calm an overactive nervous system, she explains. 

You can try things like focusing on the lyrics of your favorite song, giving your body some love with yoga, or taking a walk in nature. You can even just sit down and zone in on whatever body parts are making contact with the chair or ground beneath you, says Dr. Shaw. Anything that’ll get you into a state of ~mindfulness~ is a solid option. 

While it’s great to ground yourself when you’re feeling overwhelmed by existential dread, taking time to ground yourself on a daily basis can make it easier for you to get really present if and when your distress peaks later, Dr. Shaw says. 

7. Work on your relationships.

Feeling seen and heard by your people makes the existential-ness of *waves arms around* less intense. That's because, whether they’re romantic or platonic, relationships in which you care and share mutual respect can give you a sense of belonging, says Dr. Shaw. And if you don’t have those genuine connections, feeling lonely in this effed up world can add to or trigger existential dread, Dr. Shaw says. Oof.

Homework for you: Rebuild old connections that felt like the real deal or seek out new ones. Maybe call your mom to catch up more regularly or join that book club your work bud keeps bugging you about. Yeah, it can be hard to make friends, especially as an adult, but there are plenty of ways to try. The key? Vulnerability, trust, and a little bravery, Dr. Shaw says.

If you feel lonely even when you’re around certain people because they don’t have your back or don’t get you, set boundaries with them, says Dr. Shaw. You don’t need to cut them off completely (unless you want to), but meeting up less often will free up more space for the relationships that make you feel good.

8. Talk about your dread.

When I feel particularly brain-scrambled by life’s limitations and inevitables, spilling my worries to someone I trust feels really nice. Speaking or texting these thoughts out into the world separates me from my dread—which makes me feel like I have more control. It also helps me see that I’m spiraling about impending doom and...should probably stop. 

It’s also possible whoever you’re talking to has experienced similar dread, says Dr. Shaw. And relating on that level can normalize what you’re going through. At the very least, they’ll just be there to listen and support you as you vent. 

So, text a friend or call up whomever. Lay out that you’re struggling without  shaming yourself, says Dr. Shaw. (Nope, you’re not “literally the worst” or “so annoying.”) Then, ask if they have the time and energy to talk about your existential dread just in case today’s not the day to dive into the meaning of life with them. If they’re all in, you can set the stage by clarifying whether you want advice or just need someone to listen, Dr. Shaw notes.

9. Challenge your thought spirals. 

Existential dread can make you worry about and fear your own death. When this happens to me, it feels awful and hard to escape the feeling that bad things are bound to happen at any second. But taking a step back to think about the probability of those scenarios can help you see that they’re not that likely to happen, says Dr. Weems.

Let’s say, Oh my god! The world is going to end one day, hits you in the shower. Fight back by telling yourself something like, Yep, someday but probably not today, Dr. Weems suggests. Then, follow that up by doing something you enjoy that day, like going for a run, he adds.

10. Write out your feelings.

For me, writing poetry about my existential dread is cathartic because it puts what’s often tangled in my mind into words—and seeing it laid out in a pretty way is less jarring than my WTF  thoughts. But, honestly, any kind of freewriting can help slow your thoughts down, ease your nervous system, and let you reflect on what you’re feeling, says Dr. Shaw. 

Journaling or freewriting can also help you sort out where your existential dread is coming from and how it affects you, which can give you a sense of direction, says Dr. Shaw. “The process allows us to get more in tune with ourselves, explore our possible options and paths, and experiment with making life choices that are in line with how we'd like to live,” she explains. 

Here are some journal prompts to help you express what you’re feeling, start digging into your dread, and figure out how to live through all this shit:

• What does existential dread feel like in my body?
• What am I truly scared of? 
• If I knew that I only had a few years left to live, what would I want to do with that time?
• What is my five-year plan?
• What in my life is not serving me at all? What might I want to change?
• What do I love to do? How can I do more of those things?
• If I lived this life again, would I do anything differently?

11. Look into some professional help.

Of course, if you feel like existential dread is making your life hell, a mental health pro can help you assess your values; find meaning in the world; and work through trauma, grief, or any tough headspace, says Dr. Shaw. A therapist can also help you decide if the anxiety or depression you feel because of your existential dread is something that calls for medication, Dr. Weems says. (FYI, if a psychiatrist thinks that what you’re dealing with fits the bill for clinical depression or an anxiety disorder—or they notice what you’re going through is messing with your ability to do life—they may prescribe antidepressant or anti-anxiety meds.)

 While any kind of talk therapy enables you to unpack your existential dread, existential therapy can help you better understand yourself and make decisions that are true to you and how you want to live, says Dr. Shaw. And working with a mental health pro who specializes in mindfulness-based practices can help you learn strategies to keep your nervous system calm, she says. No matter the modality, finding a therapist or type of therapy that feels accessible is the goal.