So far, we are use to thinking that positive thinking is the best thing. Who would have thought that being too positive could be detrimental to mental health? Toxic positivity is the overuse of happiness and optimism and generalization to all situations.
As a result, there can be denial, a sense of belittlement, and the elimination of other human emotions. In life, it is impossible for a person to feel happy and positive all the time.
There must be an event or experience that causes negative emotions in a person. For example sad, disappoint, grieving, anxious, etc. These negative emotions are also important to feel and express.
Besides often denying and getting discourage, there are also other negative impacts. The following are the effects of toxic positivity that you need to know.
Lack of Empathy
When someone (hereinafter refer to as a communicator) confides, he does not always need advice. Often, they just need to be heard and understood. In other words, communicators need to justify the emotions they feel.
Meanwhile, if the interlocutor (hereinafter refer to as the communicant) is infect with toxic positivity, it does not justify the existence of negative emotions from the communicator. So it may cause embarrassment if you feel these emotions.
As a result, instead of finding a way out and reducing the anxiety felt by the communicator, the communicant who is infect with toxic positivity spoils the atmosphere because of his comments.
His initial intention was to calm him down, but because the communicant’s words were trying to force the communicator to calm down in dealing with the problem, it made those with problems even more annoye and felt that they were not being heard.
So, if there are friends who vent and cry, don’t say the phrase “Crying won’t solve the problem.” Crying, makes some people feel relieve.
So don’t let your good intentions cheer you up, but even more to disappoint others. Simple sentences like “Is there anything I can help you with?” can make the other person feel understood and make him relieve.
Isolating Yourself
Furthermore, besides being less sensitive, people who are expose to toxic positivity may feel uncomfortable expressing themselves as they are. As a result, they choose to close themselves off, hide their feelings, and isolate themselves.
Thus, they may choose to remain silent about the problem, even though they may need further assistance. For example, a condition such as depression is a mental problem that cannot be cure simply by having a positive attitude and thinking.
The sufferer often requires the help of experts. However, because he often thinks positively because he feels there is no significant problem for his mental health, without realizing it, his condition is getting worse.
Adding Negative Emotions
Several studies have found that hiding or denying feelings does not improve the situation, it can even have an adverse effect. For example, increasing stress or finding it difficult to hide feelings.
On the other hand, being free to express oneself does help humans to regulate their stress response. However, for those who are expose to toxic positivity, if they express themselves, instead of entertaining, it makes people more stress.
So, you can still think positively, but don’t overdo it because you can risk contracting toxic positivity. Likewise, with yourself, there is no need to force yourself to always be positive. If you feel negative emotions, don’t be afraid to express them.
Look for a good listener who can understand you. Remember, even though it’s unpleasant to feel, it’s a very human emotion. Don’t fall into toxic positivity.
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