The Dangers of 'Toxic Positivity’

It’s been hot outside, but that’s about the only thing that’s been normal during the summer of 2020. For a brief moment in the spring, summer sounded like a reprieve from the COVID-19 situation, ‘If only we can make it to summer we’ll get past this thing,’ we said.

That was a nice thought, but it’s water under the bridge at this point. Here we are talking about school being back in session and overhearing hushed murmurs about the return of the pumpkin spiced latte. By the way Dunkin Donuts is already serving up your pumpkin flavored favorites. Anyway, the point is – fall is upon us, and to many it felt like summer never arrived. 

Just like some are mentally still waiting for a summer that’s already ending, many people are feeling unbalanced, stressed, and out-of-sorts, which they then meet with ‘toxic positivity’ as it was coined in a recent Washington Post Article, naming these common platitudes as signs of the condition: 

“Everything will be fine.”

“It could be worse.”

“Look on the bright side.”

The article goes on to say that, “With data indicating that anxiety and depression, among other mental health problems, have surged to historic levels in recent months, adding toxic positivity to the mix may only exacerbate the rising tide of negative emotions by preventing people from working through the serious issues they’re experiencing in a healthy way.” 

Yes, it probably could be worse for some people, but it’s okay to recognize the feelings that may rise to the surface as the world navigates our current events. Recognizing your attempts to rationalize everything with ‘toxic positivity’ could actually help you acknowledge your thinking patterns and put some of your fears into perspective.

A less cluttered mind can lead to an increased ability to focus on your work and the other responsibilities that require your focus, creativity, and best version of yourself.