Toxic positivity can be detrimental to one’s mental health in the long run. Many individuals are put under immense pressure to act as if everything is okay and not see things from a negative viewpoint. It is pertinent that we let the negative emotions to be processed. Several research data has identified that if negative feelings are not processed they may get to be destructive later on. In view of the destructive nature of toxic positivity, there is need to address it.

The main challenge of toxic positivity is suppression of negative emotions hence the call for people to acknowledge their emotions. Negative emotions lay a perfect foundation for reflection on own strengths. Acknowledging that anxiety, sadness do help in one way or the other! It should be noted that negative emotions are normal when going through a rough patch. In this instance, the crux of the matter will be to address the instigator of the negativity. It is important to allow ourselves to feel the way we feel and deal with such emotions. I am reminded of an incident some years back; one acquaintance was battered by boyfriend but her friends kept on encouraging her to stick to the relationship and look at the bigger picture as the partner was providing for her economic needs. The situation got worse with her ultimately having mental health problems which could have been avoided had her feelings at that point in time been addressed. Many people often have the best intentions of

emphasising the need for a positive outlook for life whenever an individual is undergoing emotional distress. However, we must not be hell-bent on maximising “positive vibes” to the extent of invalidating negative emotions. There is need to set boundaries with people who passes judgement on individuals who are dismissive of authentic feelings. One other thing that could possibly help is being empathetic to those experiencing negative emotions. Being empathetic promotes the eagerness of individuals to share their “authentic” emotions without fear of them being downplayed by those they confide in. whist trying to be empathetic we must be cautious of some words we utter that in some instances often invalidates feelings and emotions of others. Positivity is essential but should not be overprized and over demanded!