What did you do while everyone was improving themselves during the lockdown period? How did it make you feel to think that this process was a "gift" given to everyone? Do people who constantly post happy Instagram posts and whose lives are “perfect” make you feel inadequate?
It is generally considered a good thing to always see the positive and be optimistic. The ideal of most of us is to exercise regularly, eat healthy, be polite to everyone, and always show a smiling face. And of course there are people who can do this. We see it frequently on social media. Is the situation this good? What percentage of these people are truly happy?
Gaba (2021) uses the new term “toxic positivity” to represent the belief that it is best to focus on looking happy, optimistic and perfect, no matter how bad the situation is. But what if one actually rejects a negative situation and focuses on the positive? How healthy would that be? How healthy and realistic is it to see danger and negativity? Are you a toxic positivist? Evaluate yourself, here are the symptoms;
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Denial of negative emotions: It manifests itself when bad emotions are suppressed and replaced by false optimism.
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Natural emotions are suppressed. Ignoring: Sadness, anxiety and anger are as natural as happiness. Ignoring these emotions lowers self-awareness and self-esteem.
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Feeling of guilt in response to negative emotions: Emotions are reactions to situations. Possession of these should not create guilt. Feelings of guilt may arise from maladaptive responses to emotions.
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Not respecting others' emotional experiences: People may feel bad, how much do you accept these? Question yourself. When your friends are feeling down, do you force them to be optimistic and positive? Do you suggest that they should be positive by telling them that they exaggerate their emotions?
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If you get into situations like this, you may be a toxic positivist. Learn to embrace your negative emotions; your anger, your feelings of guilt, your sadness… If you have difficulty accepting these feelings, consider getting help from a professional.
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