How Tunnel Vision Can Make Me Feel Hopeless

Welcome to Diagnosing Hope, a therapist’s blog designed to help you optimize your mental health by increasing your hope. Today I want to discuss with you how tunnel vision is keeping you from having hope.

Illustration of “Light at the End of the Tunnel”

Imagine being in a long train tunnel that is very dark and dim. No lights are functioning inside, and all you can see down the long stretch of canal is a faint light at the end. This light is the exit to the tunnel, and entrance into daylight. As you walk down this brooding tunnel, you are nervous and scared. You cannot see anything up until that far gone light. You worry that there could be bats, or other kinds of animals or creatures right next to you that you cannot see. You carefully move forward with each step, as to not stumble over an unseen object. And it is all uncomfortable and unsettling. Yet, you continue forward because you know there is a light at the end of the tunnel. This is often how we might imagine the phrase “light at the end of the tunnel” illustrated. And we think of that light as hope for surviving all the darkness and turmoil that might currently surround our lives. One day, we will reach the end of that darkness and enter the light of our accomplished goals and successes.

Illustration of “Darkness at the End of the Tunnel”

            But to understand what I mean by “tunnel vision,” I want you to invert this picture. Imagine walking through a very well-lit tunnel, with lights everywhere and you see everything around you clearly. But amidst all the brightness, there is a single dark point at the end of the tunnel. When we struggle with tunnel vision, we have no hope looking forward. The future is dark and grim, as far as we can predict. Thus, the light that is currently around us becomes irrelevant and we ignore it because we are only focused on that dark point at the end.

            Tunnel vision can be seen as a cognitive barrier to building hope. Have you ever been so constantly worried about the future that you can’t enjoy anything good that is right in front of you? Have you ever been so depressed about what lies ahead in life that you fail to be motivated to improve yourself? Have you ever been so discouraged by your worry of tomorrow that you can’t imagine any luck ever coming your way? If so, then you might be struggling with tunnel vision and feeling pretty hopeless.

What do I do if I am Hopeless?

Here are a few things to do if you only see darkness at the end of the tunnel and feel trapped by this mindset:

1. Look at the Light Behind You

Everyone has had good times in their past, no matter how much hardship they have endured. Even if you cannot see light at the end of your tunnel right now, you can certainly look backwards and find moments in your life where things were better. Moments where you were happy. Moments where you looked forward to the next day. The light behind you is a proof of concept that your worrisome thoughts are not the only possible outcome.  A life of greater satisfaction is possible for you, because you have experienced more satisfying moments in your past. Sometimes we need the light behind us as a proof of concept that a happier version of ourselves existed before, and they can exist again.

2. Look at the Light Beside You

One of the greatest problems of tunnel vision is that we focus so much on the imagined darkness in the future, that we fail to appreciate any positive light currently in front of us. Interrupting the fearful thoughts of the future starts with drawing attention to the hopeful realities of the present. What is good in your life right now? What things do you excel at right now? What trophies are resting on your shelf? What skills have you acquired? What people in your life support you? What would they say is your greatest quality or strength?  Who is most proud of you right now? It is often easier to be negative in our thinking than positive. Yet, when we can ask ourselves the questions that draw attention to the light, then life becomes a little more livable.

3. Imagine the Light Ahead of You

If you do nothing else but worry about the future, then those worries will likely be your outcome. However, changing that darkness to light at the end of the tunnel requires you to actually do something. You must entertain the idea that it is possible to have hope for the future. It is easy to ask, “what if things go wrong?” It is much more difficult to consider, “what if things go right?” But that is exactly what must be done. If you have no hope for a better future, then you won’t make a better future. But if you start to imagine what a well-lit tunnel looks like, you tap into something special. You tap into hope, which drives human beings to move mountains. And the human imagination helps you to take a life you create in your mind, and moves you to manifest that life outside your mind. Don’t be afraid to dream of a better future. Don’t stress about how you would get there. Just start by imagining a greater tomorrow, and then you will begin to find ways to move closer to that light.



I hope this blog has added a little more light at the end of your tunnel. And, as always, remember that there is something right with you!