Toxic positivity

Even in response to events which normally would evoke sadness, such as loss or hardships, positivity is encouraged as a means to cope, but tends to overlook and dismiss true expression.

On the other hand, toxic positivity arises from an unrealistic expectation of having perfectly happy lives all the time.

[9] Another determinant is the person's attitude toward happiness which may prevent an optimal response to the inevitable negative experiences that life brings.

[12] Toxic positivity can sustain an unhappy marriage, but research shows that unhappily married couples are 3–25 times more at risk for developing clinical depression.

[13][14][15] Critics of positive psychology have suggested that too much importance is placed on "upbeat thinking, while shunting challenging and difficult experiences to the side".

[16][17][18] Finally, by not allowing negative emotions, toxic positivity may result in physical consequences, such as cardiovascular and respiratory disease.

[19][20][21] The concept of "tragic optimism",[further explanation needed] a phrase coined by the existential-humanistic psychologist and Holocaust survivor Viktor Frankl, has been suggested as an antidote.

[22] Social media such as LinkedIn, Instagram, or Facebook may exacerbate the problem as it often emphasizes positive experiences and discourages coping with the inevitable downsides.

Such excessive signs of toxic positivity can eventually lead to an identity shift toward the "process of self-transformation that is the result of intentional self-presentation in a mediated context".

[25] Social media platforms are an easy way to compare one another, putting additional pressure on individuals to be or stay positive.