Research on Prevention of Affective Nihilism in Existential Depression: an Existential Approach in Educational Settings

Abstract

Existential depression is rooted in nihilism, both emotional and immature that can particularly occur in adolescents at a developmental stage who are seeking meaning in their lives. This article attempts to draw on existential psychotherapy from the perspective of an educational approach to prevent and ameliorate the potential for emotional nihilism in adolescents. This article uses a literature review to the study of the defiant, pervasive, and defensive nature of emotional nihilism. Moreover, it finds that teaching can create a good, pedagogical environments. Through the use of experimental teaching approaches, students can generate more personal narratives and reflections, so as to obtain specific self-awareness, and thus build a mature psychological defenses. Also, this prevents students from developing emotional nihilism to further combat existential depression.