Know what toxic positivity is and why you should not use it

The attitude of someone who attempts to ignore or dismiss bad feelings, events, or truths is referred to as toxic positivity. It is often meant to be beneficial and is frequently paired with expressions like “just be positive” and “look on the bright side.” However, it may also be quite destructive and exacerbate individuals who are already dealing with challenging emotions’ impact on their mental health.
Toxic positivity promotes the notion that by emphasising the good things in life, you may escape the bad and ultimately be happy. Sadly, this isn’t always the case. When instructed to fake a smile and disregard their true emotions in order to feel better, people could feel worse. If a person is suffering from depression or anxiety, this may be extremely harmful since it may make them feel as if they must put up a false front when they really aren’t.

Additionally, toxic optimism may result in the devaluation of people’s emotions and life experiences. When someone is dealing with bad emotions, telling them to “just be positive” or “look on the bright side” may make them feel as if their feelings are not being taken seriously or that they must conceal how they are really feeling in order to be accepted. This might result in increased isolation and a lack of support, which would exacerbate mental health problems.

Additionally, poisonous optimism may cause individuals to put off solving their difficulties in a healthy manner. People who are often urged to “be positive” and “look on the bright side” may begin to avoid dealing with their difficulties head-on in an attempt to “be happy” instead. Long-term stress may result from this since the underlying problems are not being addressed or remedied.

Last but not least, poisonous optimism may cause individuals to avoid talking about mental health difficulties, which can be harmful for those who are already suffering. People may feel even more alone or humiliated of their troubles if it is implied that mental health concerns are not relevant or genuine by advising them to “be positive” or by ignoring them.

In order to ensure that we are establishing a safe and supportive atmosphere for people who may be experiencing mental health challenges, it is crucial to be conscious of how we express ourselves and how we interact with others. Try using encouraging words that recognise how someone is feeling while also providing support and validation as an alternative to toxic positivity.