Hopelessness in Adults: What It Is and How to Cope

How someone copes with hopelessness may come down to a process of trial and error. This is because the causes of hopelessness can differ from person to person, and some people may respond better to certain approaches than others. Having said as much, the following are a few ways to cope with hopelessness.

Reframe Negative Thinking Patterns

During phases of hopelessness, your mind often automatically jumps to the worst possible outcome and treats it as if it’s already true. This process is known as “catastrophizing.”

For example, if you miss one deadline, your brain might tell you you’ll lose your job. Or, you have a disagreement with someone you love, and suddenly you’re sure they’ll leave you.

Reframing such thoughts requires you to notice when they show up. Anytime you find yourself in such a thinking pattern, you need to gently question it. You don’t have to suppress it entirely; just ask yourself if it is truly the only possible outcome, or if there are any other explanations.

This process also forms the basis of cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), known to reduce hopelessness and emotional distress. 

Care for Your Body and Environment

Your body and mind are deeply connected. When your body is under stress, it sends signals to your brain that something is wrong, and your thoughts often follow that lead. 

Studies have shown that small, consistent physical actions like stretching, walking, or improving your sleep routine can help with hopelessness.¹⁹

You can start with the following simple acts of care that don’t demand much energy but still send a signal of life back into your day:

• Drinking a full glass of water first thing in the morning.
• Stepping outside for a few minutes of sunlight and fresh air.
• Taking a slow walk around your block.
• Making yourself a nourishing meal instead of skipping food. 
• Stretching your arms, shoulders, or back whenever tension builds in your body.
• Going to bed at a regular time, even if sleep doesn’t come easily.
• Turning off your phone for a short while to rest your senses.
• Turning to your friends and family for social support.

Practice Mindfulness

People who practice mindfulness regularly experience measurable decreases in hopelessness and rumination. This is because being in the present moment eases hopelessness by gently pulling you out of the exhausting mental space that feeds it.

When you feel hopeless, your mind often replays old mistakes or imagines a future that feels empty or unbearable. The present moment, by contrast, is rarely as unbearable as your thoughts make it seem.

Here are a few gentle ways to try being more mindful:

• Take three slow, deep breaths whenever you notice your thoughts racing.
• Sit quietly for a minute and notice one sound, one smell, and one physical sensation around you.
• Do one simple task with your full attention, like making tea or folding laundry.
• Before bed, notice five things you can see, four you can touch, three you can hear, two you can smell, and one you can taste.

Seek Professional Support

In some cases, hopelessness is a sign of an underlying mental health condition like depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, or post-traumatic stress disorder. When this is the case, no amount of self-help or willpower alone can make it go away.

A mental health professional, such as a psychologist, psychiatrist, or licensed therapist, can help you with this kind of hopelessness. Therapy is the first line of care for hopelessness associated with depression and stress. 

Cognitive behavioral therapy is one of the most effective approaches for hopelessness and depression. It helps you identify the negative thought patterns and teaches you to replace them with more balanced, realistic ways of thinking. 

Dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) combines mindfulness with emotional regulation and distress tolerance skills. It is effective for people who experience hopelessness linked to trauma or borderline personality disorder.

Acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) focuses on accepting painful thoughts without letting them control your actions.

Some medications, such as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) or serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs), can also be used to balance brain chemistry. However, these typically work best in conjunction with therapy.