Toxic positivity
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Toxic positivity,also known asexcessive positivityorpositive toxicity,is dysfunctionalemotional managementwithout the full acknowledgment ofnegative emotions,particularlyangerandsadness.Socially, it is the act of dismissing another person's negative emotions by suggesting a positive emotion instead.[1]
Definition
[edit]Toxic positivity is a "pressure to stayupbeatno matter how dire one's circumstance is ", which may prevent emotionalcopingby feeling otherwise natural emotions.[2]Toxic positivity happens when people believe that negative thoughts about anything should be avoided. Even in response to events which normally would evoke sadness, such as loss or hardships, positivity is encouraged as a means to cope, but tends to overlook and dismiss true expression.[3]
The concept of unrealistic optimism was explored by psychologists at least since 1980, and the termtoxic positivityfirst appeared in J. Halberstam's 2011The Queer Art of Failurewith "...to poke holes in the toxic positivity of contemporary life".[4]
Psychology
[edit]In one sense, toxic positivity is a construct inpsychologyabout how to handleemotionsthat is built upon the assumption that positive and negative emotions should match the appropriate situation.[3]This is viewed as healthy psychologically. However, toxic positivity is criticized for its requirement to feel positive all the time, even when reality is negative.[3]According to Dr. Jamie Zuckerman, “The inherent problem with this concept is that we assume that if a person is not in a positive mood (or whatever we think a positive person should look or act like), then they are somehow wrong, bad, or inadequate. The problem is that, when we invalidate someone else’s emotional state – or in this case, when we tell someone that feeling sad, angry, or any emotion that we consider ‘negative’ is bad - we end up eliciting secondary emotions inside of them like shame, guilt, and embarrassment.”[5]
The concept of unrealistic optimism was explored by psychologists at least since 1980, and the termtoxic positivityfirst appeared in J. Halberstam's 2011The Queer Art of Failurewith "...to poke holes in the toxic positivity of contemporary life".[4]
In her 2022 book,Bittersweet: How Sorrow and Longing Make Us Whole,authorSusan Caindescribes "tyranny of positivity" or "toxic positivity" as a cultural directive that says, "Whatever you do, don't tell the truth of what it's like to be alive".[6]
Cain said that, historically and especially in the nineteenth century,[7]boom-and-bust cycles led not only to reverence for successful businessmen, but also to attributing lack of success not to external circumstance but to a failure of character,[8]a form ofvictim blaming.Cain documents this perceived failure of character as being reflected in the evolving definition of the term "loser".[8]The result is a culture with a "positivity mandate" —an imperative to act "unfailingly cheerful and positive,... like a winner".[8]
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Positivity is generally seen as a good and helpful attitude for most situations, because it reflects optimism and gratitude and it can help lighten moods.[9]Healthy positivity differs from toxic positivity in the way that is acknowledges negative emotions of sadness, anger and jealousy. It pushes for growth and learning through setbacks and conflicts. On the other hand, toxic positivity arises from an unrealistic expectation of having perfectly happy lives all the time. When this does not happen, people "can feel shame or guilt" by being unable to attain the perfection desired.[10]Accordingly, positivity becomes toxic when a person rejects negative feelings even when they are appropriate.[9][11]It is believed that one must be happy in all types of situations, ignoring other emotions. As a result of denying these feelings, it can often lead to further unhappiness in the long run.
People with a constant requirement for positive experiences may be inadvertentlystigmatizingtheir own negative emotions, such asdepression,or suppressing natural emotional responses, such assadness,regret,orstress.[3]Accepting negative emotions can make a person happier and healthier overall.[11][9]Some authors, such as Kimberley Harrington, see toxic positivity as a form of personal emotionalgaslighting.[3]Harrington believes that it is fine to be "sad when you're sad and angry when you're angry" and to fully feel one's "rainbow of feelings".[3]
Uncontrollable and controllable situations are important determinants of positivity. If the situation is controllable, artificiallypositive thinkingcan thwart a person's ability to fix the negative situation.[9]Another determinant is the person's attitude toward happiness which may prevent an optimal response to the inevitable negative experiences that life brings.[11]Positivity becomes toxic with the inability to examine and fix past mistakes.[12]To gloss over inevitable mistakes with exaggerated confidence is unhelpful because it prevents learning from mistakes.[12]
Toxic positivity can make one hang onto an unhappy marriage, but research shows that unhappily married couples are 3–25 times more at risk for developing clinical depression.[13][14][15]
Critics ofpositive psychologyhave suggested that too much importance is placed on "upbeat thinking, while shunting challenging and difficult experiences to the side".[16][17][18]Finally, by not allowing negative emotions, toxic positivity may result in physical consequences, such ascardiovascularandrespiratorydisease.[19][20][21]
The concept of "tragic optimism",[further explanation needed]a phrase coined by the existential-humanistic psychologist and Holocaust survivorViktor Frankl,has been suggested as an antidote.[22]
Social media
[edit]Social mediasuch asLinkedIn,Instagram,orFacebookmay exacerbate the problem as it often emphasizes positive experiences and discourages coping with the inevitable downsides.[23]A study on "Toxic positivity on social media: The drawbacks and benefits of sharing positive (but potentially platitudinous) messages online" found that the display of positivity online can be "beneficial to message senders only if message senders have higher (vs. lower) self-esteem or if they experience less (vs. more) toxicity".[24]The effect of the display of positivity on the message sender can be deemed as negative if the messages suppress the negative aspects of the perceived reality. Social media is a platform for individuals to post whatever content or media they desire. In some cases, one may project a positive outlook on social media to avoid reality. Such excessive signs of toxic positivity can eventually lead to an identity shift toward the "process of self-transformation that is the result of intentional self-presentation in a mediated context".[25]Social media platforms are an easy way to compare one another, putting additional pressure on individuals to or stay positive. This can create divergent viewpoints and conflicting perceptions of reality.[26]
Gender
[edit]A study on "Gender differences in levels of toxic positivity in adolescents: a quantitative study" showed a significant difference between male and female adolescents. Surveys and interviews indicated that adolescent girls typically showed lower levels of toxic positivity in comparison to adolescent boys. These results indicate that adolescent females are likely to be better at acknowledging and expressing their negative emotions than adolescent males.[27]
This claim is further backed by another study carried out by Laura Campbell-Sills, David H. Barlow, Timothy A. Brown, and Stefan G. Hofmann: “Acceptability and Suppression of Negative Emotion in Anxiety and Mood Disorders”. In this study, 60 participants with anxiety and mood disorders and 30 control participants watched an emotion-provoking film. They self-reported their measures, and the clinical participants deemed their emotions a “less acceptable” and therefore suppressed their emotions. The study showed that there was a notable difference between female and male participants. Males in the control group reported more suppression than females in the same group, although both males and females in the clinical group reported suppression to the same degree.[28]
American Dream
[edit]The concept of theAmerican Dreamis closely associated with toxic positivity. In the 1920s, when the United States experiencedeconomic expansion,many believed that perseverance would produce happiness, and that money buys happiness. As a result, the feeling of unhappiness was seen as a personal shortcoming. Therefore, negative emotions were ignored and denied. Many were living in a society that mandates the appearance of happiness.[29]
See also
[edit]- Cognitive dissonance
- Cycle of abuse
- Emotional exhaustion
- Emotional labor
- Emotion work
- Doublethink
- Hedonic treadmill
- Illusion of control
- List of cognitive biases
- Magical Thinking
- Optimism
- Optimism bias
- Rational expectations
- Rat race
- Self-deception
- Smiley
References
[edit]- ^Cowles, Charlotte (May 26, 2022)."Get Your Toxic Positivity Out of My Face".thecut.Vox Media. Archived fromthe originalon May 26, 2022.RetrievedMarch 30,2024.
- ^Kiran Sidhu (August 3, 2021)."I've cried more during the Covid pandemic than ever before, but embracing this sadness has saved me: It's hard to welcome the feelings that pain us, but doing so has helped me to live a fuller life".iNews.RetrievedJanuary 28,2022.
... "Positive toxicity", the pressure to stay upbeat no matter how dire one's circumstance is, doesn't allow us to sit with our sadness...
- ^abcdefKimberly Harrington (January 26, 2022)."What is 'toxic positivity' and why is it a problem? A new book explains.: Life isn't a Hallmark card and that's okay, writes therapist Whitney Goodman".Washington Post.RetrievedJanuary 28,2022.
...toxic positivity is a form of gaslighting, "Goodman explains....
- ^abLecompte-Van Poucke, Margo (25 January 2022)."'You got this!': A critical discourse analysis of toxic positivity as a discursive construct on Facebook ".Applied Corpus Linguistics.2(1): 100015.doi:10.1016/j.acorp.2022.100015.S2CID246339733.
- ^Bhattacharyya, Ritu; Bhattacharyya, Nikhelesh; Sharaff, Shail (1 October 2021)."Design Engineering Toxic Positivity and Mental Health -It is ok to Not Be ok".ResearchGate.Retrieved1 March2024.
- ^Cording, Jess (September 9, 2022)."In New Book, NYTimes Bestselling Author Susan Cain Explores The Value Of Bittersweetness In A World Of Toxic Positivity".Forbes.Archivedfrom the original on September 9, 2022.
- ^Mullligan, Jesse (May 25, 2022)."Susan Cain on embracing being uncomfortable".Radio New Zealand.Archivedfrom the original on May 27, 2022.
- ^abcSkipper, Clay (April 20, 2022)."Susan Cain Wants You to Stop Being So Positive and Start Thinking About Death".GQ.Archivedfrom the original on April 21, 2022.
- ^abcdTchiki Davis, Ph.D., Michelle Quirk (January 10, 2022)."What Is Toxic Positivity? What distinguishes good positivity from bad positivity?".Psychology Today.RetrievedJanuary 28,2022.
..Toxic positivity is defined as the act of rejecting or denying stress, negativity, or other negative experiences that exist....
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:CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - ^Natalie Morris (February 16, 2021)."Why it's OK if your version of self-care doesn't look Instagram-perfect".Metro News.RetrievedJanuary 28,2022.
... overly positive toxicity, selling us an external dream that makes us feel not enough and highlights our insecurities.'...
- ^abcTheConversation Brock Bastian (January 1, 2022)."TOXIC POSITIVITY: WHEN PURSUING HAPPINESS CAN OVEREMPHASIZE ITS VALUE AND CAUSE MORE UNHAPPINESS".Milwaukee Independent.RetrievedJanuary 28,2022.
...when people believe they need to maintain high levels of positivity or happiness all the time to make their lives worthwhile, or to be valued by others, they react poorly to their negative emotions....
- ^abSteve Watkins (January 21, 2022)."Avoid 'Toxic Positivity' To Own Up To Your Mistakes".Investor's Business Daily.RetrievedJanuary 28,2022.
...Everybody makes mistakes... But glossing them over, in an exaggerated confidence called toxic positivity, stops you from growing from your missteps...
- ^Tatiana D. Gray, Matt Hawrilenko, and James V. Cordova (2019)."Randomized Controlled Trial of the Marriage Checkup: Depression Outcomes"(PDF).
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:CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - ^Fink, Brandi C.; Shapiro, Alyson F. (March 2013)."Coping Mediates the Association Between Marital Instability and Depression, but Not Marital Satisfaction and Depression".Couple & Family Psychology.2(1): 1–13.doi:10.1037/a0031763.ISSN2160-4096.PMC4096140.PMID25032063.
- ^Maria R. Goldfarb & Gilles Trudel (2019)."Marital quality and depression: a review".Marriage & Family Review.55(8): 737–763.doi:10.1080/01494929.2019.1610136.S2CID165116052.
- ^Jen Rose Smith."When does a good attitude become toxic positivity?".CNN.Retrieved2020-11-29.
- ^Halberstam, Jack (2011).The Queer Art of Failure.Duke University Press.ISBN978-0-8223-5045-3.
- ^Wright, Colin (2014)."Happiness Studies and Wellbeing: A Lacanian Critique of Contemporary Conceptualisations of the Cure".Culture Unbound.6(4): 795.doi:10.3384/cu.2000.1525.146791.
- ^Zawn Villines (31 March 2021). Johnson, Jacquelyn (ed.)."What to know about toxic positivity".Medical News Today.
- ^Gross, J. J.; Levenson, R. W. (1997). "Hiding feelings: the acute effects of inhibiting negative and positive emotion".Journal of Abnormal Psychology.106(1): 95–103.doi:10.1037/0021-843x.106.1.95.PMID9103721.
- ^Campbell-Sills, Laura; Barlow, David H.; Brown, Timothy A.; Hofmann, Stefan G. (2006). "Effects of suppression and acceptance on emotional responses of individuals with anxiety and mood disorders".Behaviour Research and Therapy.44(9): 1251–1263.doi:10.1016/j.brat.2005.10.001.PMID16300723.
- ^Kaufman, Scott Barry (2021-08-18)."The Opposite of Toxic Positivity".The Atlantic.Retrieved2023-01-06.
- ^PARAM DAVIES (October 20, 2020)."How Social Media Forces Toxic Positivity Onto Moms: Social media surely romanticizes the way we view our lives, but with that, it even ensures to force toxic positivity onto moms".Moms.RetrievedJanuary 28,2022.
...Social media surely romanticizes the way we view our lives... even ensures to force toxic positivity onto moms....
- ^Lew, Zi gian; Flanagin, Andrew J (2023)."Toxic positivity on social media: The drawbacks and benefits of sharing positive (but potentially platitudinous) messages online".New Media & Society.doi:10.1177/14614448231213944.Retrieved1 March2024.
- ^Carr, Caleb T.; Kim, Yeweon; Valov, Jacob J.; Rosenbaum, Judith E.; Johnson, Benjamin K.; Hancock, Jeffrey T.; Gonzales, Amy L. (18 November 2021)."An Explication of Identity Shift Theory".Journal of Media Psychology.33(4): 202–214.doi:10.1027/1864-1105/a000314.ISSN1864-1105.Retrieved4 March2024.
- ^Lecompte-Van Poucke, Margo (2022-04-01)."'You got this!': A critical discourse analysis of toxic positivity as a discursive construct on Facebook ".Applied Corpus Linguistics.2(1): 100015.doi:10.1016/j.acorp.2022.100015.ISSN2666-7991.
- ^Putra, Rahman Pranovri; Ramadhanti, Auliya; Rizky, Deo Alfa (28 November 2023)."Gender Differences in Levels of Toxic Positivity in Adolescents: A Quantitative Study".Jurnal Ilmiah Ilmu Terapan Universitas Jambi.7(2): 83–91.doi:10.22437/jiituj.v7i2.26624– via Jumal Online, UNJA.
- ^Campbell-Sills, Laura; Barlow, David H.; Brown, Timothy A.; Hofmann, Stefan G. (3 November 2006)."Acceptability and suppression of negative emotion in anxiety and mood disorders".Emotion.6(4): 587–595.doi:10.1037/1528-3542.6.4.587.ISSN1528-3542.PMID17144750.
- ^Pluhařova, Julie; De Sousa, Vasco; Strömsdörfer, Serafina (4 November 2023)."In Defence of" Toxic Positivity ": Shedding Light On a" Misunderstood "Phenomenon"(PDF).Roskilde University.