What to Do When You Feel Disillusioned
It’s normal to spend a lot of time thinking about your future in your teenage years. College, career, relationships — trying to plan out your path can feel overwhelming. And for many teens, these expectations don’t always match up with reality. This can lead to feelings of disillusionment and disappointment.
Knowing how to deal with disillusionment is a skill that can help you navigate through these challenging emotions and come out stronger on the other side. Learn how to deal with disappointment and what to do when you feel disillusioned with these tips from the team at Ascend.
What Is Disillusionment?
Disillusionment is the feeling of disappointment, dissatisfaction, or lack of fulfillment that comes when your expectations don’t align with reality. If you’re feeling disillusioned, it means you had certain hopes or dreams that haven’t been met. For teens, this can often come from the pressure to have a perfect life, whether it’s getting into a prestigious college or having a picture-perfect relationship. And when these expectations aren’t met, it can leave you feeling lost, confused, and even hopeless.
Disillusionment often comes with a sense of betrayal or letdown and can lead to deeper feelings of hopelessness and questioning. So how do you deal with disillusionment? Check out these coping strategies.
What to Do When You Feel Disillusioned
If you’re feeling hopeless, lost, or disillusioned, there are steps you can take to cope with these emotions. These four tips for how to deal with disillusionment can make it easier for you to figure out your future.
1. Acknowledge Your Feelings
The first step in dealing with disillusionment is to acknowledge your feelings. It’s okay to feel disappointed or let down when things don’t go as planned. Validating your emotions can help you process them and move forward. You might:
- Write in a journal or talk to a trusted friend or family member about what you’re feeling
- Take some time for self-reflection and try to identify the root causes of your disillusionment
- Give yourself permission to feel and express your emotions to others without judgment
2. Reframe Your Perspective
When you’re feeling disillusioned, it’s easy to get stuck in a negative mindset. But reframing your perspective can help you see things in a different light and find hope for the future. Ways to reframe your thinking and learn how to deal with disillusionment include:
- Looking for the lessons or positives in your current situation – Are there any silver linings or things you can learn from this experience?
- Practicing gratitude – Focusing on the things you are grateful for in your life can help shift your mindset towards a more positive outlook.
- Recognizing that setbacks are a natural part of life – Everyone faces challenges and disappointments, but it’s how you handle them that matters.
3. Set Realistic Expectations
Disillusionment often results from unrealistic expectations. How you deal with disillusionment in a healthy way means setting more realistic expectations for yourself and others. SMART goals are a helpful framework for setting achievable goals — specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound. By setting realistic expectations, you can avoid the disappointment of unmet goals and focus on what’s within reach.
4. Seek Support
Talking with a mental health professional can make a huge difference when you’re struggling with disillusionment. Whether you’re dealing with unmet expectations, relationship challenges, or other pressures, a therapist, adult, or trusted friend can provide a safe space to process your emotions and work through them in a healthy way. At Ascend, our therapists specialize in helping teens navigate difficult emotions and develop coping strategies for how to deal with disillusionment.
Reach Out to Ascend Today
Want to learn how to deal with disappointment? Contact us today at 310.388.3713 or reach out online to learn more about our mental health therapy services for teens. Our compassionate therapists are here to support you on your journey toward finding hope for the future.
Don’t let disillusionment hold you back — reach out to Ascend today.
