Toxic Positivity: Why is it ‘OK not to be Ok’?

“Be positive,” “try to look at the brighter side of things,” “it could have been worse,” “think positive” – how many times have you heard distinct voices telling you to be happy when you are suffering from severe emotional pain? How many times have you tried to look happy when all you want is curl in your blanket and cry? Trying to have a positive outlook on things isn’t a bad thing. But when you try to conceal your anxiety, stress and depression behind the veil of positivity that is insincere and forced, it is not healthy. In fact, there is a term for it called ‘toxic positivity.’

What is toxic positivity?

Toxic positivity can be defined as an assumption made by an individual that they should stay positive regardless of how difficult the situation is. It is the idea that encouraging people to only look at the brighter side of things can do more harm than good. Studies have shown that experiencing and accepting the good, bad and ‘meh’ situations and dealing with them is good for your mental health.

With toxic positivity, you may think that negative emotions are inherently bad. As much as you want to push yourself to feel positive and happy all the time, it isn’t possible. In fact, it is harmful.

The vicissitudes of fortune may force life to become too difficult sometimes, but it is all part of life. One of the biggest realities of human life is that it can be difficult and painful. Agony, heartbreak, and worry are all real parts of human life. So, it is important to experience all of them and deal with them properly.

Here is how you can deal with toxic positivity?

Don’t suppress your emotions, accept them. Ignoring your emotions will make you frustrated, which will make it difficult to deal with.
Let your closed ones be emotionally vulnerable in front of you. Don’t give them unsolicited advice or encourage toxic positivity. Also, acknowledge that not everyone behaves the same so your friend might not be able to cope with things the same you do.
Remember it is ‘OK not to be OK’ sometimes, especially at times like these. We all take time to process things, and it is completely normal to do that.
Don’t limit yourself to happiness or sadness or any one emotion. The good, the bad and everything in between – experiencing it all is important.
Allow your emotions to sink in and process at your own pace. Be realistic and take small steps to make yourself feel better.
Notice the signs of toxic positivity. Stay true to your genuine emotions.
Don’t let social media memes fool you. Don’t let other people’s reality define yours. You need to critically analyze things to protect yourself from such situations.

Source: | This article originally belongs to thehealthsite.com

Up next

I’m 73 and my wife has lost her job – how can we cope on £1k a month?

Author

shalw

Tags

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Types of fungal infections

Be Aware Of Counterfeit Drugs: Researchers Develop Edible Silk Tags That Can Authenticate Medicines

Global COVID-19 vaccine race: 10 candidates in human trials, UK still in the lead

7 COVID-19 protective measures essential for frontline healthcare workers

Revealed: Map shows UK’s 20mph hotspots as Rishi Sunak clamps down on councils’ powers to impose lower speed limits – with 28million people living under authorities with them in place or set to come in

Major Netflix change comes into force today marking the ‘end of an era’ for subscribers – here’s how it will affect you

Rapist ‘cuts off his 36-year-old ex-wife’s nose and ears in horrific hours-long attack and forces her 10-year-old son to watch the torture’

Proof the G-spot IS real? Surgeons find delicate op on elusive zone meant to give women mind-blowing orgasms can kill their sex lives