Euphoria: Walking on Clouds

[DISCLAIMER]

I invite you to consider that from a psychological perspective, people distress and disturb themselves using a Belief-Consequence (B-C) connection. Still, this isn’t to suggest that in the context of the naturalistic or physical world there is no Action-Consequence (A-C) connection.

Perhaps if you’re unfamiliar with Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy (REBT), that last paragraph may be bewildering to you. “A-C and B-C connections?” you may ask, “What is Deric on about?” Allow me to explain.

REBT uses the ABC model to illustrate that when an undesirable Action occurs and you Believe an unhelpful narrative about the event, it’s your unfavorable assumption, not the occurrence itself, that causes an unpleasant Consequence. This is known as self-distress or -disturbance.

Often, when providing psychoeducational lessons on REBT, I’m asked about the distinction between self-distress and self-disturbance. Per one REBT source (page 71):

REBT conceptualizes [distress] as healthy even though it is intense. Other approaches to therapy have as their goal the reduction of the intensity of negative emotions. They take this position because they do not keenly differentiate between healthy negative emotions (distress) and unhealthy negative emotions (disturbance).

Now, REBT keenly distinguishes between healthy distress and unhealthy disturbance. Healthy distress stems from your rational beliefs about a negative activating event [i.e., Action], whilst disturbance stems from your irrational beliefs about the same event.

Complete elimination of distress is unlikely in an impermanent and uncertain world wherein individuals conceptually suffer, struggle, and battle with, or merely experience hardship. Yet, people make matters worse for themselves by distressing and disturbing about many matters.

In particular, there are four predominate irrational beliefs which people often use to upset themselves: global evaluations, low frustration tolerance, awfulizing, and demandingness. When contemplating these unproductive beliefs, think of the acronym GLAD.

As an example, person X hears person Y referring to trance music as electronic dance music (EDM) (Action), Believes, “Person Y is worthless [G], and I can’t stand that he mixes the trance and EDM genres [L],” and then becomes distressfully annoyed (Consequence).

Alternatively, person Y observes person X’s annoyance (Action), Believes, “It’s terrible to be judged [A], because I mustn’t be scrutinized [D],” and then becomes disturbingly enraged (Consequence). In both of these scenarios, the B-C connection causes self-upset.

After all, merely discovering that either person X or person Y thought, believed, or behaved a certain way (Action) isn’t what led to the unpleasant outcomes endured by either individual (Consequence). Instead of an A-C connection, the B-C connection caused their upset.

Addressing how people upset themselves with unhelpful attitudes, the ABC model incorporates Disputation of unproductive philosophies of life in order to explore Effective new beliefs. While rigid beliefs cause upset, flexible beliefs result in an un-distressed and un-disturbed condition.

Generally, the ABC model is used only to target distress and disturbance. Nevertheless, I find it useful to illustrate how some B-C connections may be quite joyous and pleasurable. Worth knowing, the American Psychological Association thusly defines euphoria:

[E]xtreme happiness and an elevated sense of well-being. An exaggerated degree of euphoria that does not reflect the reality of one’s situation is common in manic episodes and hypomanic episodes.

I’ve worked with people who’ve experienced both pleasant and unpleasant euphoria. For instance, my clients who attend raves and ingest psychoactive drugs report the former, though clients with bipolar disorder report the latter—especially absent illicit substances.

Additionally, some clients report euphoria which is absent substances or mental disorders. For context, one source states, “Certain natural rewards and social activities, such as aerobic exercise, laughter, listening to or making music and dancing, can induce a state of euphoria.”

Back when I used to attend raves and concerts, always partying sober, with exception of caffeine and guarana, I often experienced euphoric nights. It was delightful! Even absent those specific conditions, I’m able to enjoy B-C connection-induced euphoria.

For instance, one of my favorite EDM DJs and record producers is Dutch creator Tiësto. In 2004, he released his second studio album entitled Just Be which contained the track “Walking on Clouds” that featured vocals by Kirsty Hawkshaw. In my opinion, it was a phenomenal song!

Of course, a number of factors correlated with my perspective. I was married at the time, as the track was something both my wife and I enjoyed. As well, I’d begun working in the field of nuclear security, essentially doubling my income while benefitting from a lower cost of living.

Also, my young stepdaughter wasn’t immune or averse to EDM, so she’d listen to “Walking on Clouds” when it played. Additionally, Tiësto’s particular sound was unlike many other DJs and producers of the time, so I appreciated his tracks in particular.

Even now, as I’ve been divorced for two decades, haven’t had contact with my former stepdaughter since she was five-years-old, no longer make as much money as I once did, and Tiësto’s style has changed a bit, I still experience euphoria when hearing “Walking on Clouds”.

I hear the track (Action) and Believe, “This song is entirely worthy of honor, and I should play it more often!” When using this positive appraisal and recommendatory should perspective, I experience euphoria (Consequence). Now, that’s a joyous and pleasurable B-C connection!

If you’re looking for a provider who tries to work to help understand how thinking impacts physical, mental, emotional, and behavioral elements of your life—helping you to sharpen your critical thinking skills, I invite you to reach out today by using the contact widget on my website.

As the world’s foremost EDM-influenced REBT psychotherapist—promoting content related to EDM, I’m pleased to try to help people with an assortment of issues from anger (hostility, rage, and aggression) to relational issues, adjustment matters, trauma experience, justice involvement, attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, anxiety and depression, and other mood or personality-related matters.

At Hollings Therapy, LLC, serving all of Texas, I aim to treat clients with dignity and respect while offering a multi-lensed approach to the practice of psychotherapy and life coaching. My mission includes: Prioritizing the cognitive and emotive needs of clients, an overall reduction in client suffering, and supporting sustainable growth for the clients I serve. Rather than simply trying to help you to feel better, I want to try to help you get better!

Deric Hollings, LPC, LCSW

Photo credit, Designed by Freepik, fair use

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