"TOXIC POSITIVITY"

Toxic Positivity is the suppression of real, negative emotions through phrases like:

• “Be positive!”, “Cheer up!” or “Look on the bright side!”

• “Get over it” or “Move on.”

• “It’s all going to be okay” or “Everything is going to work out.”

Such statements are often well-intentioned—people just don't know what else to say and don't know how to be empathetic. Still, it is important to recognize that these responses can be harmful.

Toxic Positivity is a "good vibes only" approach to life. And while there are benefits to being an optimist and engaging in positive thinking, toxic positivity instead rejects difficult emotions in favor of a cheerful, often falsely positive, facade.

The problem is that life isn't always positive. We all deal with painful emotions and experiences. Those emotions, while often unpleasant, are important and need to be felt and dealt with openly and honestly.

The “positive vibes only” can be particularly grating during times of personal distress. When people are coping with situations like financial troubles/job loss/illness/loss of a loved one, being told that they need to look on the bright side can seem downright cruel.

If you are flippantly or unwittingly using such platitudinal statements in your daily life then may be its time to improve your vocabulary and be more genuine and empathetic while talking about your or other's feelings.

Here's why Toxic Positivity can be harmful-

1. It invalidates any emotion other than positive ones.

2. It makes a person feel guilty for having certain emotions.

3. It avoids genuine empathy and human connection

4. It prevents us from growing.

5. Emotions left unprocessed can lead to mental health problems in the future.

Here's what you can say instead of resorting to toxic positivity!

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