By Aparna S
November 12, 2024: Imagine you’re going through a tough time and turn to social media, only to be inundated with motivational videos urging you to breathe deeply and repeat affirmations like “I am the best.”
This phenomenon is known as toxic positivity.
It involves masking negative emotions with forced positivity and creating a false sense of confidence that everything is fine. The reality is that things won’t improve unless you confront and address your challenges.
Toxic positivity promotes the belief that individuals should maintain happiness regardless of their circumstances. It discourages negative thoughts, even in situations that naturally evoke sadness, such as losing a loved one or facing job loss.
Dangers of Trivializing Mental Health
The situation becomes even more concerning when mental health issues are trivialized by an onslaught of “positive vibes.” For instance, consider someone with clinical depression being urged to simply feel happy.
Depression is characterized by a persistent, pervasive low mood, which prevents individuals from experiencing positive emotions. This condition is not within the individual’s control; it is rooted in neurobiology.
Just as faulty insulin secretion can lead to elevated blood sugar levels, dysfunctional serotonin can severely impact emotional well-being. Effective treatment requires medications and structured psychotherapy, such as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT). Superficial encouragement can exacerbate the problem.
When someone with depression encounters toxic positivity, they may not only struggle to feel positive emotions but also experience guilt for not being able to share in the happiness that others seem to enjoy.
Extremes of Toxic Positivity
Toxic positivity takes the concept of positivity to an extreme, trivializing complex mental health conditions and dismissing genuine suffering with phrases like “it’s okay.”
This mindset pressures individuals to “always see the glass half full,” even when it’s empty. The “good vibes only” mentality denies the existence of negative emotions and deprives people of the authentic support they need to navigate their struggles.
While maintaining a positive outlook on life is beneficial, it’s crucial to acknowledge that life isn’t always rosy. Everyone experiences pain and hardship; these emotions deserve to be felt and addressed with the same openness and honesty as joyful moments. This balanced approach fosters healthy coping mechanisms.
Embracing Tragic Optimism
It’s important to recognize that constant happiness is unattainable. Life flows through a series of ups and downs, and this reality is at the heart of tragic optimism. This concept emphasizes finding greater goodness in life despite temporary challenges.
Proposed by Viktor Frankl, a psychologist and Holocaust survivor, tragic optimism suggests that no amount of pain or suffering can diminish life’s essence; it remains worth living. This perspective encourages individuals to seek meaning and purpose in their lives while maintaining hope and optimism, even in difficult circumstances.
Tragic optimism serves as an antidote to toxic positivity by promoting resilience and growth rather than sugarcoating reality with superficial positivity. It encourages individuals to confront their situations head-on, fostering genuine emotional processing instead of denial—a far more sustainable approach.
While positivity has its place, it’s essential to embrace the full spectrum of human emotion. Acknowledging pain alongside joy leads to a healthier mindset and a more authentic experience of life.
(Dr Aparna S is a consultant psychiatrist and an Assistant Professor at the Believers Church Medical College Hospital, Tiruvalla, Kerala. Views expressed are her own and not of an organisation or company.)
