5 Ways Positivity Can Hurt Your Mental Health

Generally, there is nothing wrong with having a sunny disposition towards life. It's admirable to look at the bright side of things. However, positivity must be genuine. Not a forced outlook. Toxic positivity can disguise itself as well-meaning comments or suggestions like “You’ll get over it!” or “Just be positive!”. The cult of positivity makes you feel like your opinions and feeling are unacknowledged. It typically results in denial, minimalization, or invalidation of authentic human experiences and emotions. Want to learn how to spot the signs of toxic positivity? Watch along!

#toxicpositivity

Credits:
Script Writer: Sara Del Villar
Script Editor: Isadora Ho
Script Manager: Kelly Soong
VO: Amanda Silvera
YouTube Manager: Cindy Cheong

References:

[somisomi]

Since noone has done it, here are the 5 signs when positivity becomes toxic:


0:58 1. Masking your true feelings.
1:37 2. Bruhsing off problems rather than facing them.
2:26 3. Minimizing other people's experiences with bumper sticker quotes.
3:08 4. Shaming those who do not have a positive attitude.
3:44 5. Feeling guilty for feeling sad, angry, or disappointed.

[gurudra]

Positivity should not be forced on one. Positivity is a result of a peaceful and joyful mind that comes naturally🙏🌺🌿

[avidhossanmansur]

Pretending everything is fine or just ignoring problems hoping that they'll just go away only makes things get a lot worse. The only way to solve your problems is to work through them. We are taught from a young age to keep up appearances, social media has only added to this toxic idea of apparent perfection. In real life, bad things happen and it's absolutely natural to feel bad about them.

[thegnik]

“it’s all in your head” is the one of the toxic positive comments I was hoping to be in this video as well

[electo]

This is the video of MY LIFE.

There is SO MANY people and situations in life where people are "positive" just to be accepted, even when it hurts someone, or even sometimes everyone.
Places where you can't talk about problematic behaviors because you will be seen as negative, people who disregard your traumas and tell you you should just see the good side of life, people who bully others and tell them they have no humor, parents who disregard their child's needs and then culpabilize them into thinking they are at fault, workers or companies who make immoral choices in their work and try to pass it off as courage or generosity...

To me, it is THE big civilisational problem of our 21th century.
Please people, don't ever be "positive" in a moment when the real positive choice is not to be. It could destroys someone's life, and in the big picture of things, it would destroy our planet.

[angelmarie]

I tend to have toxic positive behavior because I was taught I don't have it as bad as others and that I should be grateful. My mom told me when I would get upset don't throw a pity party or get over it. I recently saw a soap opera actress say that her mom would do the same thing and she has borderline personality disorder like I do. I definitely believe that having toxic positivity thrust upon you at an early age can lead to a distorted personality.

[vAqeii]

Sign 1: Hoping that you'll get diamonds everytime you mine in caves, it's okay not to succeed all the time in Minecraft

[sueh]

Showing empathy to those who are feeling negative is human. It is understanding. Using positivity to win above others or proof righteousness is not showing compassion but being competitive and unkind. Its not about who is better or right, its about showing compassion and care to others we rs when they are down. Do unto others as you would like them to do to you. Thank you for listening. Seeking positivity can become a pardox, accepting negativity can become a positive experience and make one stronger.

[sangitasutar]

1)1:01-Masking your true feelings
2)1:39-Brushing off problems rather than facing them
3)2:26-minimizing other people's experiences with bumper sticker quotes
4)3:09-Shaming those who do not have positive attitude
5)3:45-feeling guilty for feeling sad, angry or disappointed

[ironje]

1:00 Masking your true feelings
1:39 Brushing off problems
rather than facing them.
2:27 Minimizing other people’s experiences with bumper sticker quotes.
3:10 Shaming those who do not have a positive attitude
3:45 Feeling guilty for feeling sad, angry or disappointed.

[faithfulfilo]

This is one of the most strange concepts I've come across in life when talking to my friends and dealing team games that require cooperation. All I have to say is that sometimes faking positivity can not only delude others from solving a problem at it's root, but it deluded yourself as well. Sometimes you just gotta let off steam, sometimes you can't just put a label on a problem right away. Toxic or fake positivity can also seem highly pretentious and make a person enacting emotion feel undermined or belittled.

[Darren_Xero]

Remember, being genuine & true to your feelings is not & must not be perceived as a weakness. Don't bottle it up for too long, or the problem would get worse. So the sooner that band-aid is ripped off & come clean about speaking your mind, the better for everyone

[skully]

I hate it when there is always that one person that tries to tell me that my feelings, experiences, and outlook on life is invalid even though they never lived in my shoes but they still think they could act like theirs has more merit because mine is 'too negative'. I have a feeling these people are very insecure, because whenever someone is having a bad time, they have the selfishness to act like those people who are going through a rough time are the assholes because it hurts their forced 'positive vibes'. It's truly insufferable.

[guitary]

“Everything happens for a reason?”
-“The world is crapping on me for a reason?”

[thechancellor-]

To the *incredible person* seeing this, I wish you all the best in life❤ don't over blame yourself, accept things and go forward. Don't let others define what “success” is for you. Get up, learn the skills needed and get after it, all the keys to a happy life is in your hands. Keep pushing.

[catdobson]

I do this to myself sometimes, so that I can make negative emotions to away faster because of shame. My feelings/emotional reactions used to be dismissed, so I have a problem portraying anger in a healthy way that sticks up for me. This video just reminded me to try and allow myself to feel. Thanks so much!

[funplayer.]

*. . .*
“Brushing off your problems like it’s nothing and move on like it’s nothing”
Yesterday I locked myself in the toilets at school for 10 mins and cut my arm *23* times and brushed it off like it could’ve been way worse (which, it actually could, but oh well). And now people are (really) mad at me for acting like this and now I’m in for a load of consequences.
And I’ve become so emotionally neutral ove the last few years that I almost never show what I really feel. I do draw it tho, then I want to.

[SpyderBey]

This is something I can relate to. I was once stuck in a personal loophole of mine, trying to figure out if my personality is actually healthy.

I review Beyblade Burst toys as fair as possible; calling out both negatives and positives, alike. Sometimes I review a product I don't like (and show some negativity), resulting in some people being mad at me for calling out the negatives (even when I'm trying to stay as respectful as possible). On the other side of the coin, there are people who just can't stand me being positive, overall. Sometimes I see almost nothing wrong other than minor stuff, but then some people tell me I'm way too positive and I'm "avoiding the flaws." It honestly confused me to a point where I had to watch my videos multiple times and see if I'm actually the one in the wrong. It took me a month to realize that I am fine and that my opinions are my opinions.

Thank you for this video. It helps a lot.

[BlightVonDrake]

Feel how you feel for as long as you need to. Your feelings are valid. Take the time to understand what you're feeling and why. You don't NEED to be happy or positive. There are no "good" or "bad" emotions, only healthy and unhealthy ways of having them. However, if you feel like what you're experiencing is taking away from your quality of life, there are people qualified to help you, and there is no shame in seeking them. Thank you for covering this topic, because I feel like there are still a lot of people that genuinely don't even know that it's a real issue, or simply don't understand how harmful it can be.

[inshaibrahimmanik]

i feel like we all have that one toxic positive friend 💀