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In the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5-TR), there is no specific diagnosis for "lack of meaning". However, a pervasive sense of meaninglessness, known as "existential depression," is often a core symptom of other recognized disorders, particularly Major Depressive Disorder. 

Lack of meaning is a central concept in existential psychology, which sees it as a fundamental part of the human condition. When this concern becomes overwhelming and distressing, it can manifest as diagnosable mental health conditions. Conditions where lack of meaning is a key feature:

For some individuals, a profound lack of meaning can be a primary driver of their depressive episode. While the DSM-5 does not explicitly identify "existential depression," a doctor may use the standard MDD diagnosis if the following symptoms are met: 

• Anhedonia: A markedly diminished interest or pleasure in nearly all activities. A person experiencing existential depression may feel that all activities are pointless.
• Hopelessness and worthlessness: Feelings that are often linked to a belief that life is meaningless.
• Persistent sadness or "empty" mood: The pervasive feeling that nothing matters, which may arise from a contemplation of one's mortality or lack of purpose. 

A significant or traumatic event can shatter a person's worldview and sense of purpose, leading to a major reevaluation of life and its meaning:

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD): Experiencing a traumatic event can fundamentally alter a person's sense of self and beliefs about the world, leaving them feeling disconnected and without purpose. 

Other specified or unspecified mental disorder: When a person's symptoms do not meet the full criteria for another disorder but still cause significant distress or impairment, a clinician may use "Other Specified" or "Unspecified" categories. In this case, the diagnosis might be accompanied by a note about "existential distress" as the clinical focus. 

The DSM-5 has a section for "Other Conditions That May Be a Focus of Clinical Attention." If a lack of meaning causes distress but is not part of a full-blown depressive episode, a clinician could note it here. This allows for clinical attention without assigning a formal mental illness diagnosis. 

Research has connected other fundamental existential concerns, which often overlap with meaninglessness, to diagnosable conditions: 

• Existential loneliness and isolation: This sense of being fundamentally alone in the universe, a common theme in existential thought, can strongly predict depression.
• Identity distress: Feeling that one's identity is collapsing or is without purpose is a feature of some personality disorders and can also lead to depression.
• Death anxiety: An intense fear or preoccupation with one's own mortality can be a component of anxiety disorders or a driving force behind other issues like obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD).