What is toxic positivity and why is it dangerous to one's mental health?

Let me be clear: In today's world of global catastrophes and significant uncertainties, maintaining a positive outlook on life is a huge challenge. Even simply logging into your social media accounts can lead to the uncovering of concerning or anxiety-inducing news. Our association with negative information space has become so habitual that psychologists have come up with new terms (eg, 'doomscrolling') to describe such behaviours.

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To protect their mental health, many people have intentionally started surrounding themselves with positive news and limiting their exposure to online news outlets and social media. If you are experiencing low mood, anxiety and disruption to your sleep schedule, it may be wiser to intentionally avoid negative news. However, is there such a thing as too much positivity? And if it does exist, what effect might it have on your mental health? We want to answer both of these questions thoroughly.

How can toxic positivity be defined?

Toxic positivism is not a recent phenomenon, but it has gained prominence during the COVID-19 pandemic and, unfortunately, has become more and more noticeable due to armed conflicts in Europe and continental Asia.

In short, toxic positivity is a coping mechanism that focuses on avoiding negativity altogether, no matter what the circumstances. What's worse, toxic positivity doesn't exist in isolation. People who use this mechanism are usually very vocal about expressing their positive outlook on life and minimizing legitimate risks and concerns.

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Have you ever vented your worries to a friend or colleague just to "look on the bright side"! or "You need to please!" In reply? This is toxic positivity at its 'finest'. Toxic positivity minimizes one's (or others') feelings and encourages one to forcibly put on rose-colored glasses to oneself and others.

Avoidance is at the core of toxic positivity. And hey, there's some merit in simply detaching from negativity and intentionally giving a wide berth to everything that might threaten one's peace. Sometimes, the stress of our daily lives can be too overwhelming for us to properly process our emotions and think rationally about what is happening. Yet, in the long run, toxic positivity can do more harm than good.

How is toxic positivity really affecting my mental health?

Here are some examples and explanations of how toxic positivity can be harmful to one's mental health.

Toxic positivism can lead to downplaying of legitimate concerns and risks.

When faced with significant risks or challenges, it can be easier to avoid them altogether than to try to find solutions and weather the proverbial storm. However, in some cases, running away is the worst thing you can do.

For example, if you have concerns about your physical health, it may be easier to say "everything will be fine" than to go to the doctor. Left untreated, however, these concerns can become actively detrimental to your daily life. Avoidance is understandable but not to the extent that you underestimate legitimate negative experiences.

Toxic positivity can lead to self-judgment.

Toxic positivity puts clear labels on all your feelings. Feeling sad, anxious or depressed is always bad while feeling happy and excited is obviously good. On paper, this approach at least makes sense.

However, life may not always have positive feelings. Experiencing negative emotions is a natural part of being alive physically and emotionally. By setting strict labels, you are mentally cutting off a huge part of your emotional growth. You're also giving yourself a reason to judge yourself for how you feel and think, and that's not a good idea.

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Acknowledging one's negative feelings is difficult, but it is a much better option than ignoring or judging them. People can't control the way they feel but they can (and, arguably, should) avoid blaming themselves for their feelings.

Toxic positivity sets up unrealistic expectations.

Toxic positivity involves putting as much distance between yourself and your negative feelings as possible. As a result, feeling happy is seen as a highly desirable outcome whereas being anxious or depressed elicits self-determination. Simply put, toxic positivity suggests that you should always feel as cheerful as possible while avoiding those lingering negative emotions.

However you look at it, this requirement cannot be met by any reasonable human being. In extreme cases, toxic positivity can even lead people to expect themselves to feel extremely happy regardless of the circumstances. When you inevitably don't match up to these unrealistic expectations, it can be easy to criticize or 'punish' yourself by restricting access to enjoyable activities. Neither outcome is good for anyone looking after their mental health.

What can I do to avoid toxic positivity?

It can be difficult to rid yourself of a toxic positive mindset but it is not impossible. Here are some tips on what you can do to avoid toxic positivity.

* Accept that your feelings (whether positive or negative) are valid.

* Avoid labeling your feelings.

* In your internal monologue, try to use neutral language rather than being critical.

* Recognize that life can be difficult and that feeling sad is a natural part of being human.

* Don't expect yourself to feel a certain way in certain situations.

* Keep a thought journal so that you can describe your feelings completely and accurately.

* Evaluate risks rationally and take action, even if it causes negative emotions.

I hope my brief analysis of toxic positivity sheds light on how damaging this mindset can be to one's mental health. If you ever find yourself avoiding negativity or judging your negative feelings, it may be time to take care of yourself and change the way you approach your emotional life. While the above recommendations may sound too simple, respecting someone's feelings is no small feat. If you're struggling, there's no shame in talking to a licensed mental health professional.

author bio

Ellie Richards is an Online Marketing Manager for Original PhD, specializing in PhD thesis writing. He has a passion for researching and writing on a variety of topics including education, marketing, and technology.Whose article we are sharing. thank you.