Autumnaleqinox
I agree that desperation caused by the Star might be linked to somehow feeling that the dream you are aiming for may be too high, that deep inside you know that it can never be brought to fruition. However, I've read other interpretations that the claustrophobic feeling brought about by the Star can also be caused when you feel that in the end, even if you know you can reach that specific dream when you put your mind to it, you still won't give it your all because in your heart of hearts you do not believe that all the effort is worth the pay off. It might not be what you truly desire, but you think that since you've started it and put so much effort and energy into it, you might as well end it. It's the sunk cost fallacy, and it might be worth exploring if it really is the case.
That's a really interesting interpretation, I hadn't considered anything like that before. The idea that they're just chasing an endpoint without truly desiring the outcome could be a possibility. I think that makes sense with this particular card's imagery as well, as it's a fairly stark card with a single point focus, not the usual more joyful or hopeful imagery of some other decks.