EMOTION AMPLIFIER THESAURUS

BEING STUCK



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HELPFUL TIP:

Amplifiers are conditions that enhance emotions, causing characters to become more volatile. This often leads to impaired decision-making, hasty actions and, best of all, mistakes. When utilizing an amplifier to generate conflict, think carefully about setting choices and which environments will naturally escalate emotion. An amplifier can also be perfect for triggering your character’s negative traits; the resulting fallout will draw attention to how his flaws trip him up and hold him back.
DESCRIPTION:
A character in this state is caught in a situation or bound by circumstances that feel impossible to resolve or escape from. For information on the specific scenario of being physically stuck in a certain location, see the CONFINEMENT entry.

PHYSICAL SIGNALS AND BEHAVIORS:
Pacing
Scrubbing their hands through their hair
Shaking their head
Having pent up energy (tapping knuckles on a surface, bouncing a foot, etc.)
Re-asking questions (when the character knows the answers)
Spending a lot of time online or on the phone to find a way out of the situation
Talking about the situation with anyone who will listen
Soliciting advice
Asking people to act on their behalf or be their advocate
Begging others for help
Trying to bargain their way out of the situation
Talking through possible (and increasingly desperate) options 
Making rash decisions with their financial assets
Muttering or mumbling
Unfocused eyes
Lines gathering on the forehead or between the eyes
Fixating on the unfairness of the situation and how others are able to move forward
Pulling at their clothing
Throwing or breaking objects
Clenching their fists and jaw
Dragging their hands down their face 
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INTERNAL SENSATIONS:
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MENTAL RESPONSES:
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ACUTE OR LONG-TERM CUES:
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EFFORTS TO MINIMIZE OR HIDE THE IMPACT OF BEING STUCK:
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ASSOCIATED POWER VERBS:
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EMOTIONS GENERATED BY THIS AMPLIFIER:
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DUTIES OR DESIRES THAT MAY BE MORE DIFFICULT TO FULFILL:
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SCENARIOS FOR BUILDING CONFLICT AND TENSION:
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WRITER’S TIP:
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