EMOTION THESAURUS

DESPERATION



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HELPFUL TIP:

The inner landscape of your characters (especially your protagonist) is the lifeblood that runs through your story. Emotions, and how they're expressed, are tied deeply to a character’s personality and which positive traits and negative traits will manifest. To bring your readers in deeper through shared experience, consider filtering the setting descriptions through your character’s emotions while also exploring important colors, textures, and shapes through his or her senses.
DEFINITION:
A state of hopelessness that leads to rashness

PHYSICAL SIGNALS AND BEHAVIORS:
Feverish, over-bright eyes
A darting gaze
Quick movements
An inability to sleep or eat
Finger twitches, compulsive and repetitive movements
A herky-jerky walk
Reaching or touching in hopes of gaining help or favor
Facing danger head-on
Acting in ways that push the limits of endurance
Pacing
Anxiously muttering to oneself
Grabbing fistfuls of one's hair and pulling
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INTERNAL SENSATIONS:
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MENTAL RESPONSES:
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CUES OF ACUTE OR LONG TERM DESPERATION:
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MAY ESCALATE TO:
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CUES OF SUPPRESSED DESPERATION:
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MAY DE-ESCALATE TO:
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ASSOCIATED POWER VERBS:
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