What makes ‘toxic positivity’ different from a healthy attitude:
It’s important to understand that positive psychology interventions tend to most benefit those who are generally psychologically healthy already. In other words, people struggling with intense psychological problems or life circumstances probably won’t get the same benefits from positive psychology, compared with pursuing more established treatments such as cognitive behavioural therapy.
My journey has been a pendulum swing, from the depths of depression in my teen years to a seemingly unshakeable optimism that would make Youth of Today proud. I even had ‘OPTI MIST’ tattooed across my knuckles, a symbol of my unwavering positivity, until I realized that ain’t it either. I’ve since blacked out the letters, a physical representation of my understanding that toxic positivity is not the answer.
I am generally happy and still tend to lean that way. It took years, though, for me to realize the importance of realistically feeling what I am feeling when I am feeling it.