For decades, people have believed that positive thinking is one way to increase self-confidence and prevent mental disorders. But have you ever found yourself or someone else feeling depressed because you are trying to think positively? If so, maybe you are experiencing toxic positivity.
Reporting from Very Well Mind, toxic positivity is a condition in which a person is obsessed with positive thinking. Whatever problems he faces and no matter how tragic the trials he experiences, he will face them with a smile without trying to show empathy let alone trying to solve problems.
Then, what are the signs that you are trapped in toxic positivity? Here's the explanation.
Denying Negative Emotions
It is undeniable that feelings of sadness, loss, and various negative emotions are part of human life. This feeling is human and undeniable.
However, this does not apply to people with toxic positvity. They think that sadness is a disgrace that must be covered. Showing negative emotions is considered a great threat that must be destroyed.
Likes to Avoid or Run from Problems
In this world there is no human who lives without problems. Problems will always appear and waiting to be solved. However, for people with toxic positivity, the problem is not something to worry about. Instead of bothering to find a solution, most sufferers choose to run and don't care about the solution.
Less Critical Thinking
In the end, a positive mindset is also interpreted as a form of surrender. If you are trapped in this syndrome, then everything that happens is not important so it doesn't need to be studied. You don't want to bother thinking about cause and effect, and how to deal with it.
Keep Comparing Life with Others
People with this syndrome basically just cover up feelings of destruction, fear, and anxiety in themselves. They are actually filled with blasphemy, rejection, and various unanswered question marks. The sufferer thinks of himself as an unfortunate figure who is not loved by the universe.
As a result, this thinking makes them continue to compare themselves with others. They are so easy to make scathing criticism if there is someone who does not meet their personal standards. Toxic positivity forces them to continue to feel the luckiest even in the worst conditions.
Cheering with Irony
In the end, this syndrome is also seen when the sufferer socializes with other people. When people around them face problems, people with toxic positivity will easily give words of comfort, but in a negative way.
For example, when dealing with a parent who has lost a child, the sufferer of this syndrome will say that everything is fine, and remind that at least the person who lost has had a child.
Those are some signs of toxic positivity that you need to watch out for. At first glance, their attitude does look good because it spreads a positive aura. But in fact, sufferers of this disorder tend to cover up problems, deny all sadness, and actually feel guilty if they show sadness.
If left unchecked, people with toxic positivity will lose empathy for the sadness of others, and choose to run away from problems. This will have a negative impact on all aspects of the person's life.