Existential Isolation: Theory, Empirical Findings, and Clinical Considerations

Abstract

Yalom (1980) identified three forms of isolation: intrapersonal, interpersonal, and existential. This chapter focuses primarily on existential isolation, both as an existential reality and as a subjective experience. Existential isolation refers to the inherent unbridgeable gap between any two beings and the impossibility of knowing with certainty how anyone else experiences the world. The chapter begins with discussion of existential isolation as an existential reality and how awareness of it can be threatening to a species that relies upon shared social validation for meaning and psychological security. The chapter then examines the consequences and potential benefits of confronting existential isolation, considers how existential isolation relates to other existential concerns, and reviews empirical research on the topic. The chapter concludes with a discussion of ways in which psychotherapy could help clients develop resources to manage the anxiety associated with awareness of existential isolation.