The Healing Power of Awe: Why Can Stargazing Heal Psychological Trauma? Psychologists Reveal the Psychological Repair Code of Grand Experiences

Real Cases of Adolescent Psychological Crisis: From Self-Harm to Nihilism

Case One: 16-Year-Old Boy's Self-Harm Behavior

On a night when his parents were arguing, the 16-year-old used a blade to cut his skin seeking "clarity" and "release." This self-harm behavior, while seemingly extreme, is actually a defense strategy when the soul endures extreme pain.

Case Two: Xiao Ya's Sense of Nihilism

"Mom, I feel like I'm in a transparent box, separated from this world by a membrane, unable to muster energy for anything." This numbness consumed by nothingness is a dangerous signal of depleted psychological energy.

Common Feature: Extreme Defense Strategies

The impulse to seek release through pain and the numbness of being consumed by nothingness both point to extreme defenses when the soul endures excessive pain. When emotional storms hit, any behavior that can quickly end the pain (even self-harm) is mistaken for a solution.

Awe: The Ancient and Profound Psychological "Reboot Program"

What is Awe

Awe is not an unreachable philosophical concept, but the awe-inspiring experience when facing vast starry skies, deep oceans, or great art—feeling small yet connected to the grand world.

Psychological Reboot Mechanism

Awe functions like an efficient "system reboot program": - **Attention shift**: From "my inner pain is so immense" to broader existence - **Cognitive bandwidth expansion**: Emotional floods find release channels - **Mental system ordering**: Disordered psychological states gradually restore order

Lack of Life Meaning: Psychological Energy Depletion

Extreme Self-Depletion

Xiao Ya's "powerlessness" isn't simple tiredness, but a state where psychological energy is depleted to red alert levels, lacking even the strength to control thoughts or resist impulses.

Absence of Life Meaning

Deeper is the absence of life meaning: unable to find reasons to wake up daily, unable to feel connections with the world, like an astronaut forgotten in space.

How Awe Rebuilds Life Meaning

The Best Catalyst for Meaning

Research finds that awe is the best catalyst for "meaning." When children stand on mountain peaks, they instinctively think: "This world is so magnificent! Who am I? Where am I going?"

Perspective Transformation

Awe helps children: - **From narrow tracks**: "Studying for parents" - **Toward grand narratives**: "As a unique life in the vast universe, what do I want to create?"

Inner Battery Charging Station

Meaning is like finding a sustainable solar charging station for depleted inner batteries. Those who know "where I'm going" can better endure journey fatigue.

Complementary Effects of Family Support and Awe

Children with Weak Family Support

For children with weak family support, awe's protective effect is stronger. When the family "safe harbor" fails, awe becomes a portable "emergency power source."

Functioning Families

Functioning families themselves are "energy-rich base stations" that continuously provide meaning and control, making awe's relative effects less prominent.

Three-Step Practice: "Expanding" Tired Souls

Step One: Actively Create "Awe Moments"

- **No need for travel**: Identify constellations on clear nights - **Shared experiences**: Watch deep-sea or space documentaries - **Cultural immersion**: Appreciate great paintings in museums

Step Two: Spark Meaningful Dialogue

After experiences, gently ask: "Seeing Earth so lonely and beautiful in the universe, how does that make you feel?" These open-ended questions plant seeds in children's hearts.

Step Three: Examine Family Ecosystem

Families should become effective "charging" safe bases: - **Non-judgmental listening** - **Support during setbacks instead of complaints** - **Relaxed and free family atmosphere**

Family: The Most Powerful Awe System

A functioning home itself is the most powerful and enduring awe system, because it allows children to experience "love"—the grandest emotion—at the closest distance.

Use the grandeur of awe to reignite life's meaning, finding sustainable charging methods for tired souls.