The phrase "utter desperation" means feeling extremely hopeless, panicked, and willing to do anything to solve a problem or improve a situation. Full definition
Anything that you wouldn't do except in times of utter desperation isn't something that you ought to run your entire life by. (religion.blogs.cnn.com)
I have been trying for six months with my two and a half year old son and I am in utter desperation. (babycenter.com)
(In real life people seem to make such pacts for 35, but Hollywood is like a Jane Austen novel in that respect: it considers 28 an age of utter desperation for unmarried ladies.) (chicagoreader.com)