It is important to have a positive mindset in life. If you remain stuck in the shackles of worry, anxiety, and negativity, it will, in turn, hamper your personal and professional life. Positive affirmations and maintaining a pragmatic outlook towards life will enable you to take on hurdles and obstacles quite easily. However, research has proven that excessive positive thinking might be detrimental to your health. And researchers have labelled this too-positive mindset as “toxic positivity”.

According to clinical psychologist Holly Schiff, “Toxic positivity is the belief that people should put a positive spin on every and all experiences, despite their emotional pain or difficult circumstances. The problem with that is that it can silence negative emotions, invalidate grief or loss, and make people feel under pressure to be happy even when they’re struggling.”

What are the signs of toxic positivity?

Phrases like “just stay positive”, “look on the bright side”, and “everything happens for a reason” are all telltale signs of toxic positivity. These remarks are frequently made with the best of intentions or because the speaker is not accustomed to showing empathy. However, it is crucial to detect such habits before it takes a toll on your mental health.

Here are four ways that can help you spot toxic positivity and act accordingly:

Take note of your thoughts

You may be riddled with toxic positivity if you discover that you frequently dodge difficulties and hide your innermost emotions, or if you find yourself behaving similarly with others. Because of this, it’s crucial to assess your cognitive process, to make sure you’re not restricting yourself or unable to deal with reality. You must acknowledge why you are feeling a certain way instead of harbouring the persistent “get over it” feeling.

Normalise your emotions

We all have different ways of handling hardships and challenging circumstances. However, if you suppress or disregard your emotions to maintain an unwaveringly optimistic outlook, then you’re doing more harm than good. It is human nature to feel grief, sadness, anger, and loneliness. But classifying those feelings as unacceptable is harmful to your mental health.

Give social media a break

Social media has evolved into a platform where we post updates about our lives, chat with friends, or just peruse for entertainment. However, toxic positivity frequently appears on various social media platforms, where certain accounts force you to think optimistically or urge you to “be strong” in the face of adversity. You should unfollow these accounts and maintain a social media detox.

Acknowledge toxic positivity

You need to be mindful of those who spread the notion of toxic positivity around you. They might be your close friends or relatives, who advise you to “just be happy” or “look on the bright side” when anything bad occurs. They might truly think they’re motivating you to have a positive outlook, but in actuality, it might just make you feel far worse. It is equally important to identify toxic positivity around you and take necessary actions.