Faith & Existential
Nervous Breakdowns in Teens
August 1, 2025
The teenage years are periods of intense transformation as we “emerge” into adulthood. It’s a time when we experience many physical, emotional, and social changes, and explore the outside world in a way we couldn’t have done as children. Yet, sometimes, trying to make sense of ourselves and the world around us can bring up many existential concerns that can be destabilizing.1
Teenagers from both religious and non-religious families can experience existential anxieties. In fact, feelings of doubt and meaninglessness may even impact a teenager’s well-being in ways that result in a breakdown or mental health crisis.1
The negative impacts of a teen questioning their identity and spirituality can be confusing and overwhelming, both for them and their caregivers. However, there are numerous ways they can be supported at home and with different types of therapy.
This article aims to increase understanding about existential crises by exploring:
What existential nervous breakdowns are, including their signs and causes- How nervous breakdowns differ from spiritual crises
- The impact faith can have on mental health
- How to rebuild after an existential nervous breakdown
- Different therapy options for religious trauma and spiritual crises
What Is an Existential Nervous Breakdown?
Thoughts and questions about life are a normal part of the human experience. Yet, those of us more prone to self-consciousness, anxiety, shyness, and depression are more likely to experience higher levels of existential anxiety.2 Plus, when our big questions about the world and ourselves dominate our thinking, we can experience a breakdown or crisis.
When someone is experiencing existential anxiety, they’re usually doubting what they’ve been taught about existence and how humans came to be. Yalom, an existential psychotherapist, theorized that there are four existential concerns at the core of mental suffering.3 If someone’s having an existential nervous breakdown, they could be hyper-focused on one of these concerns, including:
Death: Being overly aware of the inevitability of death, both of oneself and loved ones. For instance, someone may ruminate over when and how they’ll die, and what happens after- Freedom: Feeling overwhelmed by one’s choices, what to do with free will, and whether they have a responsibility to certain causes
- Isolation: Sensing an “unbridgeable gulf” between oneself and other people. For example, someone may feel alone in their own head and unable to communicate their experience with others
- Meaninglessness: Feeling there is no predetermined purpose or meaning of life. As a result, someone might feel lost or have an urgent burden to find meaning.4
Having existential anxiety and questions rarely leads to concrete answers, which can be very distressing for some people. Further, teen spiritual distress can escalate into an existential crisis or nervous breakdown if their thoughts become extremely overwhelming.
It’s good to know that the term “nervous breakdown” is not a diagnosis and is considered a little outdated. So you might hear it called “mental health crisis” instead. Regardless, both of these terms describe a period of crisis when someone struggles to function day to day. We’ll explore the signs of an existential nervous breakdown next.
Signs of an Existential Nervous Breakdown
If someone’s existential anxieties have escalated to the point of crisis, they may be:
- Experiencing suicidal thoughts
- Also having symptoms of psychosis
- Struggling to maintain their hygiene, diet, schoolwork, or relationships
- Withdrawing from their usual activities
- Feeling anxious or depressed
Before things get to this point, there are other early signs of an existential crisis in teens, including:
- Feeling a sense of meaninglessness
- Having persistent questions about things like God, life after death, and how humans came to be
- Withdrawing from their spiritual practices and community because they no longer feel quite “right”
- Feeling disillusioned with their belief system
- An uncharacteristic desire to research existential philosophers, books, and online content to rebuild their sense of reality and truth
- Worrying they’ll lose loved ones or a community if they share their questions and doubts
These signs are typical clues to whether someone’s struggling with questions about their faith or existence. But what factors could lead someone to this point?
What Can Cause a Spiritual Crisis?
Spiritual crises don’t usually happen suddenly. Instead, people tend to experience a series of moments that prompt small questions and place doubts in their belief system. Potential triggers for a spiritual or existential crisis include:
- Noticing suffering that’s unfair or doesn’t make sense
- The death of a loved one
- A clash between personal values and those of a religious doctrine, for example, around gender roles or sexuality
- Learning about science and non-religious theories about the universe and humanity
- Witnessing harm perpetrated by religious leaders or groups
- Near-death experiences and traumatic events
Even if someone’s existential anxiety seems to appear out of nowhere, there’s always a reason behind it. In fact, the teenage years are typically fraught with the potential of existential questions.
Spiritual struggles in adolescence are not uncommon because teens are rethinking their identities, developing ideas about the world, finding a sense of morality and purpose, and questioning authorities. Unfortunately, this process can have a big impact on teenage mental health.
Faith and Mental Health
There is a lot of evidence to suggest that being involved in a religious practice and community is beneficial to mental health and well-being. For instance, religious people tend to have higher life satisfaction and happiness and lower levels of depression, risky behaviors, and suicidal ideation.5
As a result, it’s unsurprising that losing faith can be very destabilizing for someone’s mental health. Though it’s both OK and normal for a teenager to question their belief system, it’s still, undoubtedly, a difficult process.
Additionally, certain mental health conditions can increase the risk of existential crises, including:
Depersonalization/derealization (DPDR): A dissociative disorder that causes people to feel disconnected from themselves and/or the outside world. Among its various symptoms is persistent existential questions because the perception of the world can be dreamlike or unreal, causing questions about reality.- Major depressive disorder (MDD) and OCD: These conditions are also associated with higher levels of religious, spiritual, philosophical, and existential obsessions, potentially leading to the point of crisis.6
Since existential anxiety can accompany different mental health conditions, any treatments should consider the possibility of co-occurring disorders so that teens get the most effective support.
How to Rebuild After an Existential Nervous Breakdown
Research finds that young people with existential concerns require a “place to rest,” which encompasses a number of forms of support and recuperation. For example, rest could be found in friendship, group support, or therapy. Rest can also mean physical and emotional relaxation, cultivated at home and in one’s own mind.1
Before we explore therapy options for treating an existential nervous breakdown, we’ll discuss things teens can do at home. These strategies can be implemented in your personal life to take back control and rest from the overwhelm caused by existential anxiety:
Activating the parasympathetic nervous system: This is sometimes called “rest and digest” and is the opposite of fight or flight mode. For instance, you can calm anxiety in the moment by humming or chanting, washing your face with cold water, receiving a massage, exercising, and meditating. It also helps to make your “out breath” longer than your “in breath” by breathing in for four seconds and out for eight.- Prioritizing a healthy routine: There’s always time for existential questions, but they shouldn’t take over your life. Aim to bolster your mental health by implementing sturdy and nourishing daily routines, such as good sleep hygiene and three square meals per day.
- Lean on loved ones: Don’t isolate yourself. Humans are relational beings, and we find meaning and identity through connection. Talking, laughing, or walking with friends can get you out of your head and into your body and the world. Doing so can provide much-needed respite from heavy existential rumination.
- Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR): This is a meditation program that teaches mindful awareness, body scanning, and non-judgment to help people gain a range of health benefits. It can be particularly helpful for those who are stuck in existential rumination.7
Therapy Options For Religious Trauma And Crisis
While the above options can calm existential anxiety in the moment, sometimes they’re not enough by themselves when a crisis point is reached. In situations such as this, professional support may be needed, including the following options:
Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT): CBT is highly effective in the treatment of existential anxieties. It usually focuses on reframing painful or distressing thoughts and engaging in certain behaviors that boost well-being and disprove unhelpful beliefs. However, CBT can also be tailored towards religious and spiritual difficulties and used in other treatment methods.3- Existential psychotherapy: This is a type of talking therapy with a professional trained in philosophical dialogue. Existential therapists may engage with their clients as though they’re “in the same boat” and discuss the dilemmas of life together. This collaboration can be extremely empowering for clients when cultivating their own sense of meaning.3
Teens with religious trauma (for example, if someone’s religious experience is abusive, damaging, or degrading) may benefit from seeking a therapist with specialist knowledge. For instance, a therapist with training in trauma, religious abuse, or spiritual breakdowns. This way, the teen may feel more confident that they’re being supported by someone who understands what they’re going through.
Mission Prep: Support for Faith and Existential Breakdowns
Recovery from an existential breakdown is both possible and achievable. At Mission Prep, we offer a range of therapies to help teens with faith questions. Our approach is personalized, which means we consider unique symptoms, goals, and family life to inform treatment.
If your teen has concerns or questions about faith and their mental health, our empathetic team is always at hand. Get in touch to learn about our treatment options today.
References
- Lundvall, M., Palmér, L., Hörberg, U., Carlsson, G., & Lindberg, E. (2022). Finding an existential place to rest: enabling well-being in young adults. International Journal of Qualitative Studies on Health and Well-Being, 17(1). https://doi.org/10.1080/17482631.2022.2109812
- Shumaker, D., Killian, K., Cole, C., Hruby, A., & Grimm, J. (2017). Existential Anxiety, Personality Type, and Therapy Preference in Young Adults. Journal of Humanistic Psychology, 60(6), 002216781770278. https://doi.org/10.1177/0022167817702783
- Heidenreich, T., Noyon, A., Worrell, M., & Menzies, R. (2021). Existential Approaches and Cognitive Behavior Therapy: Challenges and Potential. International Journal of Cognitive Therapy, 14(1), 209–234. https://doi.org/10.1007/s41811-020-00096-1
- Schnipke, B., & MacKay, M. (2023). Existential Issues in Psychotherapy. Innovations in Clinical Neuroscience, 20(1-3), 72. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10132274/
- Moreira-Almeida, A., Lotufo Neto, F., & Koenig, H. G. (2006). Religiousness and mental health: a review. Revista Brasileira de Psiquiatria, 28(3). https://doi.org/10.1590/s1516-44462006000300018
- Pampaloni, I., Marriott, S., Pessina, E., Fisher, C., Govender, A., Mohamed, H., Chandler, A., Tyagi, H., Morris, L., & Pallanti, S. (2022). The global assessment of OCD. Comprehensive Psychiatry, 118(152342), 152342. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.comppsych.2022.152342
- Grossman, P., Niemann, L., Schmidt, S., & Walach, H. (2004). Mindfulness-based stress reduction and health benefits. Journal of Psychosomatic Research, 57(1), 35–43. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0022-3999(03)00573-7
