expression, godan verb (-ru)
become desperate; give in to despair
Describes a state of reckless despair where one stops caring about consequences, often leading to self-destructive behavior.
試験に落ちて、やけになって酒を飲みすぎた。
After failing the exam, I became desperate and drank too much.
Before you give in to despair, let's try to think calmly for a moment.