Generalizing Tango Ecstacy during the pandemic

Moments of tango ecstasy are generalizing to other places in my life.  Did you ever feel like you were walking on the streets of heaven--even a bit lost? Well, with any luck, you will stay lost!

Let me explain "generalizing." If a person has a specific anxiety for driving over tall bridges, for example, that anxiety may become generalized into being afraid of any bridge, such as an overpass. Now the fear is starting to grow to the point that no driving is possible without debilitating fear.  Driving and perhaps even going out of the house becomes difficult. This person probably has Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD). COVID-19 is creating temporary and even permanent GAD symptoms in the world. What can we do to help others or ourselves?*

GAD is not you
Today's disorder-focused world of psychology tends to see the world with dark glasses on, that is, modern psychology focuses on what is wrong--something that psychologists would quickly point out as being abnormal if one of their patients did this. But whose calling who crazy here?!  

So let's do just something more positive:

Generalized Ecstasy Delight (GED not GAD)
A more positive generalized emotion is ecstasy, or joy, or happiness. Worry can be "nurtured" but other emotions can also be nurtured. Why not? Positive experiences make this possible only when we generalize the positive emotions we found with tango.  I think that tango has enriched my life so much as to generalize its beauty to other activities, other new or old passions. My connection to my partner, my meditative spiritual practice, my joy at work, my love of nature--all these help me to nurture my GED.  Thank you tango!  I see tango--really dance and music--as a path, pointing to other ways to find joy in all things. The pandemic cannot take away ecstasy if this emotion becomes generalized.  It doesn't just happen; it's a Quest.

Generalized-Ecstasy-Delight moments show us a path, the way of and to joy and ecstasy.  The path is the process, not just some destination.  Meet you on the golden streets of Nirvana? Let's get lost there!

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Maybe you or another person you love is fighting with Generalized Anxiety Disorder?  Here is a step-by-step alternative to the symptoms which describe GAD:

GED (Generalized Ecstatic Delight) versus

GAD (Generalized Anxiety Disorder)

By Mark Word

Generalized Anxiety Disorder  GAD symptoms	Generalized Ecstatic Delight GED resiliencies
Persistent worrying or anxiety about a number of areas that are out of proportion to the impact of the events	Persistent ecstasy and delight in more than one avocation, person, group, activity. Even the simple things in life bring enjoyment
Overthinking plans and solutions to all possible worst-case outcomes	Visualizing plans and ideas that give great enjoyment in creative thought
Perceiving situations and events as threatening, even when they aren't	Finding ecstasy in situations and events even as others may see these as “mundane”:  Connection to others, a simple walk alone, gratitude that comes easy
Difficulty handling uncertainty	Riding the wave of uncertainty as a chance for psychological or spiritual growth
Indecisiveness and fear of making the wrong decision	Allowing decisions to be an example of being human and doing our best from what we know
Inability to set aside or let go of a worry	Living in the present (mindful) rather in the past (regret/depression) or future (worry/anxiety)
Inability to relax, feeling restless, and feeling keyed up or on edge	Living in serenity & courage with wisdom coaching when one or the other is chosen for the moment
Difficulty concentrating, or the feeling that your mind "goes blank" Credit: Mayo Clinic’s symptoms of GAD	Practicing using a balance of intellect/emotions (psyche) beyond just constant inner talk, such, as visualizing, feeling the pulse in different places in the body, being attentive to sensations, noises, the awesome sound of silence or music. Blank is good

Note about GAD: Many people have unresolved PTSD and not GAD.  Medication alone is usually insufficient to help combat anxiety.  Ancient peoples did not call it therapy, but the same principle is what "treats" it: One must face the anxiety in order to overcome it.  "If you fall off the horse, get back on."  Sounds simple, but it's not for the person who must do it.

*Feeling safe is not necessarily good. Grandiose Delusional Disorder allows people to believe they are safe when they are not during this and all other pandemics in human history, but that is another story.)

Photo credit:  Streets of Gold