A meaning crisis is a condition in which individuals experience a profound lack of purposeful direction in their lives. It occurs when an individual struggles to establish, or even discern, the underlying principles and values that give life, work, and relationships purpose. Individuals may feel overwhelmed by their existence and lack the necessary tools to create meaningful lives. Meaning crises can be further compounded by existential challenges, such as death and mortality, that render traditional meaning-making techniques, such as religion and consumer culture, ineffective.

See also: evolutionary psychology, cognitive science, emergence, evolution, integrated information theory