Despair and Desperation
Despair feels like gravity doubled. Desperation is the flailing that follows. Both states hijack perception, shrink time, and turn ordinary rooms into traps. Understanding their mechanics is the first step toward loosening their grip. The Neurochemistry of Collapse Cortisol surges first. The amygdala enlarges the threat while the prefrontal cortex shrinks options. Dopamine drops, so…