The basic existential terms of life
Within psychology, we talk about the four basic existential terms of life, which are some specific basic terms that are common to all of us that we must all learn to relate to and live with.
Life crises often lean on at least one of these conditions, which are:
- Isolation
- Freedom
- Meaninglessness
- Death
Isolation
Isolation means that we are all alone. We are born alone, and we die alone. This means that no matter how close we feel to other people, no one can ever fully know what it is like to be me, just as I can never fully know what it is like to be someone else.
When you get sick, you are often confronted with this in different ways. For example, others may try to "help", but this help is not always what we need, and the other person may not even examine what it is we need in the current situation. For some, this can lead to a feeling of loneliness, even if you have a large group of well-meaning friends and family around you.
Freedom
Freedom may not sound like a bad thing, but it can be anxiety-provoking. It means that we are all free to make our own choices, but it also means that we are ourselves responsible for the consequences of those choices. We cannot blame others if things go wrong.
Meaninglessness
As humans, we need things to make sense, and throughout history, we have looked for meaning in many places, including religion. But for many people today, faith is not a natural part of their lives. Therefore, many look for meaning elsewhere.
The experience of meaning is especially vulnerable when you are affected by illness. As humans, we often have a sense of meaning and coherence, but sometimes this sense can be challenged, and it can be difficult to make sense of what is happening.
"Why is this happening to me?" "What should I do with my life now that I cannot do this anymore?" In these situations, you will need to re-evaluate your perceived meaning and perhaps find a new concrete meaning in your life. This can be a big but necessary challenge.
Death
We are all going to die one day. But this is something most of us choose to ignore on a daily basis, even though we still know it. For some, the constant awareness of this would be paralyzing, while for others it can be an inspiration to make the most of life while you have it.
