Poison under the cover of being good! Are you not harming yourself by being ‘positive’ all the time?

Remember the 2016 movie ‘Dear Zindagi’? Kaira’s parents always wanted her to be happy. Immerse yourself in positive thinking. As a result, a tendency to avoid the harsh reality of life began to develop in Kaira. And this trend eventually paves the way for its own vandalism. There are many such parents around us. Those who are constantly avoiding their children’s emotions. Just prioritizing the competition of staying ‘positive’ even in times of bad times. And this forced effort to be good gives birth to ‘toxic positivity’.

Poison under the cover of being good?

It is not possible to be positive all the time, nor is it natural to be. Standing in a difficult situation, you realize that something is not going to be okay, but forcefully convince the mind – ‘Everything is okay’. Finding the good in the bad is definitely a positive sign. But toxic positivity is the falsehood of positivity while denying the truth. In this, people begin to suppress their natural emotions such as anger, sadness or pain. Advises others to force themselves to be cheerful.

Why this escapism?

Basically, this mentality is created due to the fear of facing reality. Many people think that admitting their suffering will make them weak. People wear a mask of positivity due to their inability to express their emotions in front of others. While playing this hide and seek, they unknowingly get entangled in the web of toxic positivity.

Effects and consequences

The consequences can be fatal. If you don’t give importance to your feelings, stress increases. If you hold on to suffering day after day, people become empty from the inside. Failure to admit failure or mistakes closes the way to learning from them. As a result, personal growth stagnates. Even, the person begins to feel guilty for his suffering, which leads to deep inferiority.

What is the way to release?

Life is a mixture of joy and sorrow. So in the crowd of ‘stay positive’ it is important to remember the saying ‘it’s ok to not be ok’. Anger or sadness are not sins, they are normal emotions of healthy people. So if it hurts, accept it. Share your thoughts with loved ones. Remember, positive thinking alone does not solve problems, but real liberation is possible only by accepting reality and fighting. All is not right—accepting this simple truth is the first step to mental health.