Dear Editor,
A recent article contends the importance of logotherapy in honing positive mental health. The article emphasized the importance of finding meaning in life in difficult situations.[1] This article dissects the importance of contemporary meaning in a life model as a source of mental health.
Steger et al.[2] formulated the unified meaning-in-life model by reconceptualizing meaning in life with the presence of meaning and search for meaning in life. Presence of meaning refers to the existence of meaning in a person’s life, whereas the search for meaning indicates the exploration of meaning in life. Furthermore, the unified meaning in life model contends the integration of presence and search for meaning in life—presence to search, and search to presence models. The presence to search or homeostasis model refers to the decrease in search for meaning when meaning is present, this underscores that people no longer explore for more meaning in life when it is already present.[2,3] Search to the presence or the consolidate and augment model refers to the continuous search for meaning in life even if meaning is present. People with this pattern are not satisfied with the presence of meaning in life, and they consistently seek new sources of meaning. This person could have already experienced the fulfillment of their endeavor, yet they continuously seek for new experiences and engagements.[2,3,4] People who are high in search for meaning tend to be easily influenced by external events, whereas those with the presence of meaning in life tend to be more deliberate in their decisions in life. Similarly, those in search of meaning tend to experience instability, distress, and poor mental health.[2,4]
Since the pandemic has exacerbated mental health issues, it is important to find stability by identifying the source of meaning in life. It is believed that younger individuals (i.e., aged 18 to 25 years) tend to experience an extended search for meaning to ground themselves.[2] This phase makes them vulnerable to their environment and adverse mental health. Developing programs that can guide them to realize the source of meaning in their life and perceive their sources of meaning can help alleviate their distress and cope with mental health issues.
Ethical considerations
There are no human participants involved in the study. There are no encountered ethical issues.
Author contributions
The author is the sole author of the article. Drafting and conceptualization was solely performed by the author.
Conflicts of interest
There are no conflicts of interest.
Acknowledgments
The author acknowledges the guidance and inspiration from the Hopelab at De La Salle University, Manila.
Funding Statement
Nil
References
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