topic Meaning of Life in PTSD and trauma

Meaning of Life

Ki-Ki — Sat, 20 Dec 2025 04:48:49 GMT

Hi everyone,

I’m currently in a phase where life feels deeply confusing and meaningless to me.

I can’t wrap my head around why we’re here or what we’re supposed to be doing, and these thoughts sometimes trigger panic and intense anxiety.

I’ve lost my sense of joy and purpose, and even the things I used to love don’t reach me anymore.

If you’ve ever felt this way, how did you deal with these existential thoughts without feeling overwhelmed by them?

Hi, Thank you for sharing something that so many people...

Sophie_M — Sat, 20 Dec 2025 04:58:53 GMT

Hi,

Thank you for sharing something that so many people quietly struggle with, it takes a lot of honesty to put these feelings into words. What you’re describing, that sense of confusion about why we’re here and what life means, can be incredibly unsettling. When it starts to mix with anxiety or a loss of joy, it can feel like the ground has disappeared beneath you.

It might help to remember that these questions are part of being human, we all face them in different ways and at different times. Sometimes, when our mind starts looking for meaning, it’s really searching for a sense of connection or direction. Speaking to someone like a counsellor, psychologist, or GP can help you explore those feelings safely and find ways to reconnect with what gives you a sense of purpose.

You could also reach out to the Beyond Blue Support Service (1300 22 4636 or beyondblue.org.au) it’s available 24/7 if you’d like to talk about how you’re feeling.

You don’t have to face this confusion alone — sometimes meaning isn’t something we find all at once, but something we slowly build again as we reconnect with people and moments that matter to us.

Take gentle care,
Sophie M

Re: Meaning of Life

therising — Sat, 20 Dec 2025 06:07:54 GMT

Hi Ki-Ki

I've found such questions can come from a deep soulful sense of questioning or a basic mental or philosophical sense of questioning. Either way, such questions tend to signify a quest of sorts. Some would say it is the quest for greater self understanding and connection to life. So, whether it's a 'Dark Night of The Soul' kinda thing or something a little more on the psychological side, key revelations definitely help make a difference.

A lot of people's opinions will differ when it comes to why we're here and we've gotta find an answer that works for us personally. For me, I believe my ultimate purpose in life (my reason for being here) is to come to know myself. As a 55yo gal, I'd like to think I still have a few more decades with which to get the hang of working it all out. Life turns out to be a bit of a 'buffet', where we get to try a whole variety of what's presented to us. 'While I love this person, that one's not my cup of tea. While I love the feeling of pure joy, I'm not a fan of feeling what's depressing. I thrive on this type of adventure and that type's of zero interest to me. I crave this type of learning and knowledge and cannot stand that type' and so on. At the end of the day, so to speak, we end up with a plate that reflects who we naturally are: A lover of inspirational people, someone who loves feasting on pure joy, someone who thrives on all these or those types of adventures, someone whose thirst is quenched through learning and knowledge.

Sticking with the buffet analogy, our tastes can change along the way (sometimes without us fully realising). While we can be basically satisfied by the interests we've had for years, the friends we've had for years, the job we've had for years, parts of us can begin to wake up and dictate 'Such things are no longer enough'. We can be left feeling/sensing the blandness of them. We can be left longing for a taste of something more.

Not sure whether you find it relatable but I've discovered that life tends to happen on 3 levels. I can be experiencing a lot in life that gives me natural highs. Those highs, over time, can start of become reliable habits. They become safe or comfortable habits, such as with being in the habit of going to the same places with the same friends while experiencing the same emotions. Eventually, what habitually grounds me can eventually take me below ground(ing), into a depression. In a nutshell, the habit of being comfortable while no longer seeking new highs can become depressing. The challenge becomes about raising myself. I've found the first step involved in raising myself is questioning. Let the quest begin.