This is how life is, not all of it joy, and of course not all of it sadness, but it is a combination of happiness and sadness, so we have to be aware of that and realize that as we must give joy its right, we also have to give sadness its right, so running away from problems and distracting oneself from them does not mean their disappearance; rather, it means exacerbating them, and the more we escape from them, the more difficult they become to solve.
So we will review in this article the concept of excessive positivity and its signs and risks. What are the most important reasons behind it? If you are interested in it, follow along with us.
What Is the Concept of Excessive Positivity?
Excessive positivity is the belief that no matter how serious the issue or the difficulty of the situation, people should maintain a positive mindset. It's a "good vibes only" approach to life, and while there are benefits to being optimistic and engaged in positive thinking, excessive positivity rejects true bad feelings in favor of false positive ones, and the positivity is often wrong then and has negative effects in humans.
We all know that having a positive outlook on life is good for your mental health, but the problem is that life isn't always good and needs positivity. We all deal with painful emotions and experiences, although they are often unpleasant. They must be felt, dealt with openly and honestly, and accepted with objectivity. Excessive positivity also takes positive thinking to an unacceptable extent, as a person becomes irrational, does not discuss things properly, and hides behind false emotions.
What Are the Forms of Excessive Positivity?
Toxic positivity can take a variety of forms, and examples you may have encountered in your own life include:
- When something bad happens, like losing your job, people tell you their usual phrases, "Just stay positive" or "Look on the bright side." Although such comments are often out of empathy, they can also be a way to shut down anything you might want to say about what you're experiencing.
- After experiencing some kind of loss, people tell you that “everything happens for a reason” and often assume it is a divine cause. While people often think that such statements give you hope even if they are false, they are also a way to avoid someone else's pain.
- When you express disappointment or sadness, someone tells you that "happiness is a choice." This suggests that if you feel negative emotions, it is your fault because you did not "choose" to be happy. This will burden you with additional guilt and make you the culprit instead of the victim, and this is one of the most prominent forms of excessive positivity with which people try to console us.
Such statements are often well-intentioned; people do not know what to say when the situation is critical, and they don't know how to be empathetic well. However, it is important to realize that these attempts at empathy, while sincere, can be harmful. At their worst, these comments end up worrying and blaming people who often deal with very difficult situations.
Why Is Excessive Positivity Harmful?
Toxic positivity can hurt people who are going through tough times instead of being able to share true human emotions and get unconditional support, and people who receive support from those who are excessively positive may find their emotions rejected, ignored, or exaggerated. So we will list the main reasons why excessive positivity is harmful:
1. Excessive Positivity Makes a Person Feel Ashamed
When someone suffers, they should know that their emotions are right, and they can find that when they tell their friends and family what happened to them. Excessive positivity also tells people that the emotions they are feeling are unacceptable and out of place.
2. Excessive Positivity Causes Guilt
It sends the message that if you can't find a way to feel positive even in the face of tragedy, you are wrong and incapable of getting through difficult things.
3. Excessive Positivity Prevents People from Developing and Gaining Experience
It allows us to avoid feeling things that might be painful, but it also deprives us of the ability to face difficult emotions that can eventually lead to deep wisdom and insight. The slogan “only positive vibes” can be upsetting, especially in times of extreme personal distress, and when people are dealing with situations such as financial problems, job loss, illness, or the loss of a loved one, telling someone with these problems that they need to look on the bright side can seem overwhelming.
We can be optimistic in the face of difficult experiences and challenges, but traumatized people don't need to be told to stay positive and ignore their circumstances.
What Are the Signs of Excessive Positivity?
Excessive positivity is often hidden but by learning to recognize the signs that distinguish it, it can help you better identify this type of behavior. Some of the signs include:
- Running away from problems instead of facing them.
- Guilt about feeling sad, angry, or disappointed.
- Hide your true emotions behind satisfying quotes that appear more socially acceptable.
- Hide what you're really feeling.
- Underestimating the emotions of others.
- Blame others when you do not have a positive attitude towards the misfortunes you are facing.
- Trying to endure or “get over” painful emotions instead of solving the problems that are causing these negative emotions.
How Do We Avoid Excessive Positivity?
If you have been affected by excessive positivity or if you have recognized this type of behavior in yourself, there are things you can do to develop a healthier and more supportive approach by following these tips:
1. Control Your Negative Emotions but Do Not Deny Them
Negative emotions can cause stress, but they can also provide important information that can lead to beneficial changes in your life.
2. Be Realistic About What You Should Feel
When you face a stressful situation, it is normal to feel nervous, anxious, or even afraid. Don't expect too much from yourself. Instead, focus on self-care and take steps that can help improve your situation.
3. Feel More Than One Thing
If you are facing a challenge, you may feel nervous about the future and also hope that you will succeed. Your emotions are as complex as the situation itself, and it is normal for great hope to clash with fear of disappointment.
4. Focus on Listening to Others and Showing Support
When someone expresses difficult emotions, don't respond to them with toxic clichés. Instead, let them know that what they are feeling is normal and that you are there to listen and try to help them.
5. Pay Attention to How You Feel When You Read About Positivity
Following 'positive' social media accounts can sometimes be an inspiration to you, but pay attention to how you feel after seeing and interacting with this content. If you feel ashamed or guilty after watching the “Raise the Level” posts, it may be due to being excessively positive. In such cases, consider limiting your time on social media.
Important Words to Read and Think Of
Give yourself permission to feel your emotions, and instead of trying to avoid difficult emotions, give yourself permission to think about them and dive deeper. Because these feelings are real, valid, and important, just because they are negative does not mean that they are harmful; it certainly indicates that there is a problem that needs to be addressed.
These feelings can also provide information and help you see things about the situation that you need to take action to change. This gives you more experience in this life, which is a fluctuation of emotions between negative and positive so we have to admit that.
This does not necessarily mean that you should act on every emotion you feel. Sometimes it is important to sit with your feelings, give yourself time and space to process the situation before taking any action, and be careful not to make your decisions the result of your emotions.
So when you are going through something difficult, think of ways to give voice to your feelings in a productive way: write in a journal or talk to a friend. Research suggests that simply putting how you feel into words can help reduce the intensity of those feelings and work to acknowledge and accept reality.
In Conclusion
We have come to know about excessive positivity and what the most important risks are, and we have realized what the signs are that indicate it, so we have become aware of our situation towards it, and we can also deal with problems with all objectivity and realism, away from lying to ourselves. Therefore, I advise everyone to be honest with themselves first of all, even before being honest with others.
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