>> Why We Have This Emotion
A nihilistic slump can be a shutdown response to chronic stress or unmet needs, conserving our energy and prompting us to reevaluate any of our goals that no longer fit.
◎ What to do in the moment
Good Ideas
- Basics: eat, sleep, move, sunlight
- Name one thing that still matters
- Do a 5-minute task for future you
- Do a small kindness with no payoff
- Check in with a therapist if you can
- Talk honestly with a trusted friend
- Write what feels fake or empty
Bad Ideas
- Use the feeling to justify any risk
- Stop caring for your body entirely
- Declare "nothing matters" as a fact
- Disrespect other's values and morals
- Make big choices while in a slump
- Numb out with heavy substances
- Treat others as objects