Meaning in life

The study of meaning has been undertaken from a variety of disciplinary perspectives, including theological, philosophical and psychological angles. The study of meaning in life should be distinguished from more metaphysical discussions about the meaning of life (if there is such a thing). Meaning in life is variously considered to be an experience based on meaning-making practices, a set of certain psycho-social needs to be fulfilled, or a more global system of beliefs and values that grants life a certain extent of coherence and unity. There is no consensus on how these components of the experience of meaning in life should be defined precisely. However, several of the more influential approaches stress the importance of a sense of purpose, coherence, efficacy, comprehensibility/understanding and self-worth as indispensable ingredients for the experience of meaning in life.

 
Personal practices of meaning-making are often linked to communal frameworks of meaning or meaning systems. Religious beliefs are an obvious example of such meaning systems, but other non-religious belief systems, such as societal ideologies, also qualify. It is important to mention that the meaning systems that provide the essential background for personal meaning-making are always individually interpreted and appropriated and can differ dependent on the historical and societal context. Also, practices of meaning making are never purely personal, but shared and continuously (re)negotiated with others – persons, communities, society. This makes meaning in life a dynamic, context-dependent concept rather than a static one. Being part of a shared system of meaning making provides people with a sense of belonging and connection that is vital to their identity and well-being.

Consequently, for health professionals aiming to provide care that is optimally attuned to the needs of their patients it is vital to understand the importance of components of meaning such as purpose, coherence, social connection or self-worth. Note that in the view of positive health discussed elsewhere, these aspects of meaning are considered to be vital dimensions of health themselves. Moreover, when treating patients from a different ethnical background it can be very helpful to gain some knowledge about their meaning systems (such as religious or spiritual traditions), particularly if they are different from the ones, you are familiar with yourself. Some lifestyles or health decisions that people make or requests they have may appear much more sensible once understood against the background of the meaning system that people hold dear.