What is toxic positivity?

Being able to hide what people are really feeling, toxic positivity is much debated. Covering up emotions to pretend everything is okay is a way of not trying to resolve or put it out there. In the possibilities of social media many try to show that everything is in perfect order, without being.

If it becomes a suffocating feeling, it can also get into a complicated process of negativity. Thus, it causes many to hide this feeling. If it is nurtured, it wears away and consumes. Positivity should be moderated, in the sense of keeping in a progressive and prosperous system.

Learn what the processes of toxic positivity are by reading the article!

Meaning of Toxic Positivity

By constructing a situation that forcefully forces a person to maintain a sense of positivity, the toxic also enters this context to build a gratitude for whatever is going on, for example. By not necessarily having to start from the positive principle for something that is going wrong, this can be unhealthy.

The only way to fight it is by not repressing what you are feeling, besides giving the possibility for resolution. Being able to drastically affect health, the attitudes become unnecessary and how you act on a daily basis will become possibilities that need to be avoided.

Continue reading the article to understand the definitions and examples of toxic positivity!

Definition of "Positivity

Defined as a trait that conveys prosperity and truth, positivity comes out of the heart. As such, a person is able to stay centered on what they want and making use of this emotion. Facing things in this process makes everything easier to consume.

Psychology and science have already talked about this feeling, showing the strength that is nurtured inside, as well as being able to transpire and put out. Not handled in a balanced way can destroy and make a person become a hostage of something that can make you sick.

Definition of "Toxic"

What is toxic can be described as something that causes harmful effects, as well as being linked to what can numb. In this sense the feeling conveys what can be harmful, causing irreversible effects without the person even realizing it.

More than all this, staying in something like this can consume without one realizing it and not seeing anything beyond what is in front. Perception must be worked on, making one have a keen sense of what is being nurtured in a way that harms.

Toxic Positivity and Positive Psychology

When positive psychology comes into contact with toxic positivity it is possible that both characteristics are confused. To understand the difference that exists, psychologist Antonio Rodellar has already said that people are not born being pessimistic. All this feeling is built over time and through life experiences.

The treatment of this psychology tries to change negative thoughts into positive ones. A problem can be found in this transposition and when emotions are in excess. It can take away perception, leaves a person without seeing what is true and with it focusing only on positive feelings to hide sad moments.

Examples of Toxic Positivity

There are some phrases that people use to give that sense of cheer in someone, and there can be a problem in this matter if it is done in excess. Toxic positivity turns into words that can have a negative effect, not helping at all.

Always trying to see the bright side of things, using phrases like: "stop being negative", "don't give up easily" and "just be happy" are examples. Ignoring what can be difficult, convincing yourself and hiding are not great options. People need to deal with unfavorable feelings in order to grow and evolve.

The importance of negative thinking

In this specific context thinking on the negative side can be something developing, considering that it is necessary to arrive at a process of self-knowledge. Toxic positivity interferes with well-being, necessitating a negative perception of life. Not all things happen as planned and it is necessary to know how to deal with this.

Passing a positive image to others can create that feeling of immediacy. Being in a hurry and wanting everything for yesterday, both emotions can be harmful. It is necessary to understand that not everything will be possible to deal with and seeking help will not make you weak. Therefore, psychotherapy can collaborate.

Toxic Positivity and Social Media

By putting together what is toxic positivity on social media, you can easily find content geared towards this context. People who show their challenges on a daily basis can use positive comments for them to cope, which can be the complete opposite of what they are actually experiencing.

Idealizing a life according to positive emotions according to what one consumes on the internet can be dangerous, because the certainty is not identified. Being able to even develop psychological illnesses, this segment goes through a process of demanding itself in front of someone else's perception.

Harm from Toxic Positivity

Like other feelings, toxic positivity can cause one to build up a series of related harms and trying to hide reality, for example. More than that, these problems can intensify and do more and more harm.

Stress can also be linked, besides emotions such as insecurity, feelings repression, immaturity, somatization, abandonment and others. Trying to hide these actions the individual only harms himself, besides the non consent that is another process that makes him sick.

Read the following topics to understand the harms of toxic positivity!

Hiding reality

Trying to hide reality is one way to ignore the current moment, but in the process of toxic positivity doing so only makes the situation worse. In normalities the unforeseen also comes into context, because people are not always going to have control over life's problems.

Throwing some impasses under the rug can intensify the issue that needs to be worked on and before you even face it. Facing it once and for all may not bring the positive result, but it will probably bring a lesson. Reacting with dissatisfaction when faced with a problem is normal, but not acting and pretending it doesn't exist is worse.

Self-Absandonment

Self-abandonment builds as you take the responsibility of care away from yourself. Toxic positivity is also part of this process and cultivating something just to try and comfort. Also, emotional isolation can be built up through these actions and causing you to withdraw from people.

Establishing this feeling can be dangerous and the addiction is nurtured as the process goes on. The attention that is kept on this act of sabotaging oneself makes one a complicated person to deal with, passing all these emotions on to others and taking socializing out of circulation.

Avoid difficult conversations

Faced with the possibilities of toxic positivity some signs that develop are that people will do anything to get away from difficult conversations. Even if it doesn't have a positive outcome, the best thing to do is to face it and try to resolve it. Ignoring will not comfort.

Not all things will go as planned and all this is normal. It is important not to hide these feelings, because only by exposing them can the impasse be resolved and solved. With time these uncomfortable conversations will become milder processes and the individual will be able to cope.

Stress

With stress and toxic positivity side by side, the human being nurtures stressful and harmful processes. More than that, they do not allow a person to make excuses for not being motivated all the time. The perfection required within this context makes one sick and turns into a constant nervousness.

Faced with things that can always be seen from the good side, the negative can be something healthier and staying within this process can stimulate a suffocating feeling. Unpropitious feelings should be evaluated in the face of these actions, trying to aim for positive situations without exaggeration.

Reprehension of feelings

Repressing some feelings can make a situation worse in the context of toxic positivity, because both can intensify and cause irreversible psychological damage. Since not everything in life works in a joyful and enthusiastic way, being carried away by sadness is a way to go about trying to shape this harmful issue.

Avoiding certain feelings out of fear will not be healthy, given all the progress to assess yourself. Ups and downs are part of many people's lives, but some people know how to handle it more easily so they don't ignore it and throw it under the rug.

Insecurity

Insecurity is a determinant of the non-evolutionary process, and toxic positivity also comes into play. Both are considered complicated emotions, but there is something that can try to curb this process. Trying to face situations and not being afraid of it can be a way to get rid of insecurity, as well as not ignoring a situation for fear of the outcome.

The individual needs to stimulate a process to go about trying to soothe and comfort, in view of the difficulty. Accommodating within this toxic positivity will cause one to lose perception and clarity of things, in addition to the insecure feeling that will be nurtured to the nonprogress of maturation.

Somatization

When a person doesn't find a way to express themselves and put out their feelings, they build up and with toxic positivity this can get worse. So some damage can be seen with this build up and causing some skin problems. Also, acne and irritable bowel can develop.

Rodellar talked about the existence of something that goes beyond these consequences, saying the following:

When we focus only on positive emotions, we get a more naive or childish version of the situations that can happen to us in life, so we become more vulnerable to difficult times."

Immaturity

If a person acts immaturely when faced with a situation similar to the process of toxic positivity, he builds a personality that is not looked upon favourably by others. Even though there is no need to please, maturation will have to be established at some point.

Acting like a person who is still going through the process of growth and understanding can be shameful, and life will demand it. Therefore, both emotions should be controlled and studied, aiming for better action and perception. Always holding on to this will not be advantageous.

Mental health

Some people find it difficult to maintain a balanced mental health. Being a process that needs calm, toxic positivity can make a situation even worse and if it is not controlled. Faced with experiences emotional wear and tear can prevail, and the mind needs rest to nourish itself.

It is not easy to keep calm in the face of this action, mental health needs to be put as a priority. Being able to reflect many things physically, it destroys easily and recovery becomes more and more complicated. It is necessary to put yourself as a priority and ask for help, aiming for well-being.

How to Deal with Toxic Positivity

Optimism is a feeling that does a lot of good, but when used excessively it can do harm. From this process a pressure can begin to establish itself, causing toxic positivity to build. There is also a big difference between this emotion and the constant side of it. You need to be aware of it, as well as try to balance it and keep it in line.

When negative processes are denied, feelings can be repressed and thrown under the carpet. If there is a bubble in which everything becomes wonderful, it should be burst and shown how to deal with moments of sadness. Anxiety can also develop, making the problem worse and worse.

Continue reading the article to learn how to deal with toxic positivity!

Do not deny the uncomfortable

One of the first steps to being able to deal with toxic positivity is by not denying its existence. Uncomfortable feelings may appear, but they need resolution. By putting maturity in this regard it is possible to be more aware of what you are facing and looking for ways to deal with it.

Trying to talk about these feelings can collaborate towards a solution, and discussing it with a close and trusted person can help. It is impossible to try to avoid difficult situations, because they are necessary for everyone's growth. The good moments won't last forever, and neither will the complicated ones.

Talking about what bothers you

Being honest with yourself and saying what you feel is important, and resolution can even be easier. Toxic positivity can do a lot of harm, given the need for balance. If there is one person you can put all your trust in, talking to them to ease it can help.

Now if this is not the solution, looking for a qualified professional will bring a better result. Shame cannot exist in this process, just as it cannot be avoided by force. A natural conversation can flow from both sides, as well as being comforting.

Validate your feelings

In addition to validating feelings, highlighting them is also important. Toxic positivity is made up of words that can comfort, but in exaggeration can harm. Therefore, expressing feelings can be a way to begin to deal with such difficulty.

More than that, they need to be exposed and put out there. By having a favorable view of what is being conveyed, it is possible to present and reinforce it. Resolution will only build with the nurturing of these feelings and exposure for validations. Therefore, you cannot be afraid to show what you feel and what you are.

Search for a support network

To get over this problem that is toxic positivity, it is recommended to create ties with people who can strengthen this cause. If they are good for comfort and health, holding on to them can be a solution. More than that, the sorrows will be understood and with the transformations will result in joys.

Everyone needs a shoulder to lean on for support and advice, and this issue is no different and with help everything can be easier. There is no need to hold everything back when opportunity is knocking on the door and begging for space.

Beware of victimhood

Whatever one is feeling is just and understandable, and toxic positivity can grow stronger without the necessary care. By trying to lean on something or someone, it is possible to learn to cope with and improve this situation. People need exactly what is possible to live with and within their needs.

You need to be wary of the victimhood that can be created within this context, always placing yourself as the most damaged party in the situation. Acknowledging won't hurt and will only build a new perception of what can be worked on constantly. Motivating words can comfort, but ignoring them to solve an impasse is even better.

Going to therapy

Looking for professional help will help you work through issues such as toxic positivity, preventing this process from spreading and complicating things even more. Also, making sure that these emotions don't affect other people is important, because they are not the ones who are really responsible.

Ignoring these feelings can make one leave aside everything that one is, and a specialized professional can help to solve and face such problems. Needing constant treatment, there is not necessarily a formula that will eliminate and the accompaniment of the path will make one find the balance.

What is the threshold at which positivity becomes toxic?

There are boundaries that need to be set so that toxic positivity does not consume an individual entirely. Motivating oneself and others with prosperous words is a good alternative, but they need to be handled well. Support can be conveyed to maintain a balance, but without the damaging exceptions.

When a person becomes fissured by it, they may not even realize the wear and tear that is building up and drastically affecting them. Ignoring a complicated situation will not solve it on its own, just like sweeping it under the rug. Therefore, confrontation must be transformed into solutions and even if they do not give a positive result.