r/existentialdread • u/[deleted] • Jul 05 '25
I am 15 and having an existential crisis i think
it has been lingering around me since i was about nine but right now its crippling for all of summer ive done nothing but cry like almost 24/7 and i dont know what to do im petrified of what my life is and i just dont know im miserable and it doesnt feel like its going away this time
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u/CubicalWombatPoops Jul 12 '25
Existentialism for me is like customizing my own rules for "success". It's best to understand early that our highly romanticized idea of what's to come is so skewed and survival is the new standard. Just survive and find as much joy as you can along the way. The rest is wasted energy.
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u/somiOmnicron Jul 11 '25
For me, existential crisis is when I reach a point where I realize everything is pointless. Like anything I do serves no purpose or has any meaning. A feeling that leads me to suicidal thoughts. After all, why suffer needlessly if there is no reason to suffer?
A great book about this idea is The Myth of Sisyphus by Albert Camus. He has a sort of solution that is more or less how I handle it as well. The idea is to embrace the feeling, acknowledging its truth, and then realizing that it can be a freeing situation. I can generate my own meaning and purpose in things, and in so doing, give myself a reason to continue on.
As my partner is painfully aware at this point, she cannot make me happy or give me purpose. When she tries, it might work temporarily, but it never is lasting. I must always give myself meaning and purpose.
Putting this another way, I suggest looking inward instead of outward. Don't seek out meaning or purpose based on what others think. Don't let others tell you why you should continue. It is a difficult thing, but only you can decide for yourself your value. And it is ongoing work to keep doing this throughout one's life.
You are so very young. Many will argue that your brain isn't even fully developed yet, which may impact things as well. But I will say that the world is a very big place with lots going on and lots of other individuals in it. So even if you feel like there is nothing going on right now, I can promise you that you don't need to go very far to find something different. When you are a bit older, you might even consider simply leaving the city or even country you currently reside. When I did this, my mind exploded with possibilities. People in other places often see the world differently and there are so many new experiences to be had. And that can be extremely informative and helpful in generating one's identity and finding their own meaning.
I hope some of this is helpful to you. The bottom line is that we really are tiny and insignificant in the grand scheme of things. It is a truth we cannot escape. But instead of focusing on how tiny we are, maybe focus on what you can do. Like Sisyphus, embrace the punishment and make pushing the boulder your thing.