The Problem of Toxic Positivity

[@uk7769]

Thank you for bringing this topic forward. It is a very tricky form of gaslighting in specific contexts. At best It is denial of reality. At its worst it becomes malignant positivity with serious horrific tragic consequences.

[@galaxy98765]

Thank you so much for your comment. You are exactly right. You hit the nail on the head, as we say. I have a niece who is really into toxic positivity. She also becomes abusive and nasty, and accusatory, if I don't want to think like she does. For my own sanity, I had to get her out of my life, which I did just yesterday. I'm starting to feel at peace already.

[@1958zed]

Toxic positivity invades the medical arena, too. I was diagnosed with cancer 14 years ago, and people offered platitudes such as, "You've got this!" or "Kick cancer's ass!" as i headed off to surgery. Years later after the surgery failed and the cancer returned, they offered the same platitudes as I headed off to radiation therapy. It annoyed the crap outta me because they reduced my situation to a cheer at a pep rally. I wanted to cry out, "Don't you think that if I truly 'got this,' I would have been cured 12 years ago?!?" It was infuriating. It's put me into a position where I'm reluctant to share the next phase of my treatment because I don't want to hear another round of "You got this!" especially considering that the window for curative options is about to close. They felt they were being supportive, but all that I saw was insincerity and a lack of true empathy.

[@veronicaroberts8250]

Really sorry to hear you went through this. I do hope you had a support system and some people close to you to rely on and offer the support you needed.

[@maryo9200]

My husband was working in the music industry was surrounded by Toxic Positivity where nobody wanted to deal with reality. Anytime he brought up a problem that needed addressing they brushed him off glossed over his concerns and made him feel like he was going crazy. This brought him health issues that he will probably never get over (chronic heart problems probably due to a repressed heart attack) It is so important that people A. Figure out what is happening to them and B. Make sure they have an outlet to deal with this. I wish that I had told him to quit the moment he was having a problem I did not realize until I spent some time with him on the job the extent of what was happening. If your coworkers refuse to deal with the reality of work situations then there is no amount of money or benefits that are worth staying with these toxic people. Quit....Your very life could depend on it.

[@lurkzie]

I know people who use humour as a coping mechanism to avoid having to deal with negative feels...would this be classed as toxic positivity?

[@creativechristiancontent]

I think it’s masking

[@JenE3377]

Take a teaspoon of cement and toughen up was helpful humour in some "settings".😊