DESPERATION DEFINITION:A state of hopelessness that leads to rashness PHYSICAL SIGNALS AND BEHAVIORS: Feverish, over-bright eyes A darting gaze Quick movements Pacing An inability to sleep or eat Finger twitches and other compulsive, 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 Anxiously muttering to oneself Grabbing fistfuls of one’s hair and pulling (using pain to focus on action) An emotion-choked voice Fluttery hand movements Moaning A voice that shakes Rocking in place and rubbing the hands along one’s crossed arms Trying to bargain, ignoring another’s cues of disinterest or anger Shaking and trembling Curling the arms over the head Hugging one’s shoulders, the chin resting against one’s chest A neck that appears stiff, cords visible Strained forearms Eyes that appear wet, darting and not settling Teeth biting down on the bottom lip Wringing one’s hands or repeatedly flexing the fingers and making fists Shoulders curling, a bent spine Shaking one’s head in denial Protective posture (chin to chest, arms holding the body tightly, etc.) Dragging nails down the cheeks, leaving marks Squeezing one’s biceps while the arms are crossed Sweating profusely Swearing in a voice that gets progressively louder INTERNAL SENSATIONS: A racing heartbeat A dry mouth A sore throat from pleading, crying, or begging A heightened level of pain resistance Tightness or pain in the chest Excessive or manic energy MENTAL RESPONSES: Constant planning and obsessing Irrational thinking and poor judgment A willingness to do anything Ignoring the law or society’s values Casting morality and good judgment aside Sacrificing others or lesser goals, desires, and needs if necessary Disregarding another’s feelings if they conflict with one’s goal ACUTE OR LONG-TERM RESPONSES FOR THIS EMOTION: Crying, sobbing, wailing, or screaming Beating one’s fists against something to the point of injury Pleading, abasing, or disregarding personal worth or pride Extreme risk taking Offering an exchange:Take me instead,orI’ll go, you stay. Pushing past one’s limits to find needed strength Refusing to be persuaded SIGNS THAT THIS EMOTION IS BEING SUPPRESSED: Holding oneself tight Believing a lie if it offers hope Retreating internally to cope; shutting the world out Difficulty sitting still Clock-watching Reassuring others Fixing one’s hair and clothes to appear unaffected Taking advantage of a distraction (e.g., watching a movie or TV show) Curling the hands into tight fists MAY ESCALATE TO:Anguish,Dread,Anger,Determination MAY DE-ESCALATE TO:Overwhelmed,Hopefulness,Gratitude ASSOCIATED POWER VERBS: Beg, betray, cling, clutch corner, cry, dare, deny drive, fight, flee, force gamble, grab, grasp, grope harass, implore, plead, plunge pray, promise, resort, risk scramble, search, steal, strain strive, take, threaten, wail WRITER’S TIP:Clothing choices are individual and project an image of one’s personality. When creating unique emotional body language, think about how a character’s clothing can be utilized to reveal their insecurities or vanities and show feelings of self-worth.