I think inactivity extends a person’s torment.

If it is false hope or based on factors beyond our reach then it can be. If it is reasonable and coupled with effort, determination and guts to get out of our comfort zone, then it can only be positive.

I think for the most part there is always “hope” to get out of tormented situations. (and I stress, for the MOST part, obviously there are situations that just aren’t going to be gotten out of). For me, hope is what keeps me living. Not “just being alive” but “living”.

I apologize I am interpreting this question incorrectly.

What some people mean by “hope” is some kind of imagined future where x happens. It can be a motivator for people. But in my own experience, “hope” is almost synonymous with a preoccupation with wishing things were other than they are. And in this context, I find that hope in fact does fuel pain. It’s a way of judging the present as insufficient, and it may take form of ruminating thoughts about the future.

But that doesn’t mean accepting your current conditions and giving up. I find that it’s possible to be more comfortable with my current discomfort by fully accepting it, while still working towards change.

I think hope can extend torment. It also can get people through difficult situations. Hope is a mixed bag and knowing when to hold onto it and when to let it go is a skill.

Yes, hope can extend torment.

Interestingly, there are quite a few scholars who argue that Pandora’s Box was misinterpreted and misunderstood by most people.

The entire idea behind Pandora’s Box is that nothing but horrible things come out of it. So how, then, can the hope she sees at the bottom of the box possibly be a good thing? What truly good or tangible thing does hope represent? Hope is just hope, nothing more.

That said, whether or not hope helps or harms will depend on each individual and the experiences they’ve had in life. It’s 50/50.

Emily Dickenson said that ” Hope is the thing with feathers.”

Entire short poem

If you make the mistake of singing this to the tune of “The Yellow Rose of
Texas,” hope will morph into laughter, which, come to think of it, is a very good counterbalance to torment.