Man’s Search for Meaning

by

Victor Frankl

While existential frustration can lead to noögenic neuroses, it can also cause existential despair. This term refers to a deep sadness regarding one’s inability to find meaning in one’s life. Existential despair does not need to be treated through therapy, and can be overcome by looking for the meaning in one’s work, love, or suffering.

Existential despair Quotes in Man’s Search for Meaning

The Man’s Search for Meaning quotes below are all either spoken by Existential despair or refer to Existential despair. For each quote, you can also see the other terms and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
The Search for Meaning Theme Icon
).
Experiences in a Concentration Camp Quotes

Emotion, which is suffering, ceases to be suffering as soon as we form a clear and precise picture of it.

Page Number: 74
Explanation and Analysis:

The crowning experience for all, for the homecoming man, is the wonderful feeling that, after all he has suffered, there is nothing he need fear anymore—except his God.

Page Number: 93
Explanation and Analysis:
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Existential despair Term Timeline in Man’s Search for Meaning

The timeline below shows where the term Existential despair appears in Man’s Search for Meaning. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.
Logotherapy in a Nutshell: Noögenic Neuroses
Psychology and Logotherapy Theme Icon
...frustration does not inherently cause serious, long-term problems. In milder cases, frustration leads to “ existential despair ,” or a deep concern over the meaning of one’s life. (full context)