Social media and the rise of toxic positivity.

During the pandemic many people found that maintaining a positive outlook helped them to cope. However, positivity can be a two-edged sword and, whilst it’s generally good for our mental health, unrelenting optimism or ‘toxic positivity’ can make us feel a whole lot worse.

The phrase ‘toxic positivity’ refers to the excessive and unhealthy promotion of positive thinking and the denial, invalidation, or suppression of negative emotions or experiences. It occurs when people are encouraged to always maintain a positive attitude, even in the face of genuine challenges, difficulties, or hardships. No matter how bad a situation looks, positivity needs to be maintained and anything that triggers a negative emotion must be rejected.

This pressure to always maintain a positive attitude can be exacerbated by social media platforms where people showcase their accomplishments, happy moments, and positive experiences. A constant stream of curated content can create unrealistic expectations and make others feel inadequate or flawed if their lives don't match up. Seeing other people’s seemingly perfect lives can create a sense of pressure to portray oneself in the same way and lead to feelings of inadequacy and anxiety. As content users share will favour positive experiences and achievements, the illusion that everyone's lives are consistently positive and perfect further reinforces toxic positivity.

Because social media platforms thrive on likes, comments, and shares, users may seek validation and approval through positive feedback and engagement resulting in a tendency to focus on presenting a positive image to garner more attention and affirmation. This further perpetuaties toxic positivity and encourages the dismissal or invalidation of negative emotions. People may feel pressured to quickly move past challenges or hardships, suppressing their true feelings in favour of maintaining a positive image which can lead to a lack of emotional authenticity and hinder genuine connection and support.

It is important to remember that social media itself is not inherently toxic or negative. It can be a powerful tool for connecting, sharing experiences, and spreading positivity. However, the way in which it is used and the behaviours it can encourage may contribute to the perpetuation of toxic positivity, so it is essential people are mindful of these influences and cultivate a healthy balance between sharing positivity and acknowledging the full range of human emotions and experiences.

Whilst negative emotions are seen as a failure or weakness and are unpleasant and hard to deal with, they are important and need to be dealt with openly and honestly and although it’s undeniably a good thing to look on the bright side and be grateful for what we have, it’s also important to acknowledge and listen to our emotions – even when they’re not as pleasant.