Positivity (as an outlook on life) is great, and surrounding yourself with it can be rewarding, but did you know that positivity can turn toxic?
Toxic positivity is a harmful thought process, especially for those with a more sensitive mental state than others. It is the belief that if you just stay positive, you will overcome any obstacle: to such a degree that you can invalidate the natural emotional responses of the person having those feelings.
In other words, toxic positivity is when people are so positive they tell you to never acknowledge your problems—even if those problems will become worse if you ignore them. This is a hurtful way to think, enforcing the idea that if you push down your feelings, they will simply disappear.
However, this is absolutely not the case.
By repressing feelings, we agitate our brain even more and build up tension within ourselves. This can affect both our emotional and physical state greatly, and cause us a lot of pain. To avoid this, we must avoid toxic positivity altogether.
By avoiding toxic positivity, we create a peaceful atmosphere for our brains to relax in, instead of pushing all our worries to the back and letting them gather. The best way to keep this atmosphere is to communicate our worries with other people and discuss why we have them.
Positivity in itself is fantastic, and many should keep a positive perspective on life, but we must all make a conscious effort to ensure that nobody is hurt by our positivity, including ourselves.
Written by Charlie Addie
Artwork by Zara Masood
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