BETA
This is a BETA experience. You may opt-out by clicking here

More From Forbes

Edit Story

Toxic Positivity At Work: Examples And How To Deal With It

Erik Pham, the Founder of Health Canal, a health and wellness website that empowers people to lead healthier lives.

Staying super positive and upbeat at work can be a great way to enhance productivity and happiness for most employees. However, as the old adage goes, sometimes too much of something can become a problem.

While there is nothing wrong with finding a silver lining in every dark cloud, I find it also healthy to acknowledge and deal with negative emotions, especially at work. After all, negative feelings are normal and life is not always sunshine and rainbows.

In this post, I will discuss the concept of toxic positivity, share examples of how it manifests in the workplace and provide actionable tips on how employees can deal with it.

What is toxic positivity?

According to the Anxiety and Depression Association of America, toxic positivity, often also referred to as positive toxicity, is an emotional phenomenon based on the belief that no matter how hard or bad things get, people must maintain positive thinking or a positive mindset.

People who suffer from this tend to avoid acknowledging and dealing with negative thinking or difficult emotions. Instead, they try to focus more on positive emotions as much as possible. Toxic positivity can manifest itself in various settings, including the workplace.

What are examples of toxic positivity in the workplace?

Instances of toxic positivity can manifest themselves at work through the behavior of employees. First, folks who suffer from this mental health issue might trivialize everything. Even when they are facing a serious problem, they may not acknowledge it but try to maintain some level of a positive outlook. For example, they may say “Everything’s fine,” though it’s not.

Additionally, employees with toxic positivity may believe that things sort themselves out. You will hear them say things like “Take care of the small problems and the big ones will take care of themselves.” There is almost a cavalier attitude in the way they approach difficult situations.

Also, toxic positivity can trigger feelings of irrational eternal optimism. This is the belief that regardless of what happens, things tend to fall into place.

Finally, employees suffering from toxic positivity may fail to take responsibility for their own failures or mistakes. They often believe that whatever is happening is because of some external reason or greater power out there beyond their control.

Why is toxic positivity harmful to our health?

While positive thinking is definitely good for your mental health, ignoring your own feelings, no matter how negative they are, is not. In fact, the International Journal of Psychotherapy found strong links between the suppression of human emotions with mental health and general well-being. Here are a few other reasons why toxic positivity may be bad for our health:

Mask Serious Mental Health Issues: Pretending everything is fine all the time and failing to address negative thoughts can mask an underlying mental health problem. It can also prevent people who genuinely need help from speaking out, something that may ultimately lead to a serious mental breakdown.

Increased Risk Of Substance Abuse: People who insist on hiding feelings or failing to express them have a higher risk of developing substance abuse problems. This may trigger additional mental and physical health issues.

How can you avoid toxic positivity at work?

It may seem that desire to always feel positive is part of the human experience. However, I believe it still needs to be moderated for the sake of our well-being. The following are some practical tips that may help individuals deal with toxic positivity:

• Avoid toxic positive people. Instead, surround yourself with colleagues who don’t mind acknowledging negative experiences. The more important thing is that they can make you laugh and help you get through a bad mood naturally, not by giving impractical advice.

• Create a safe space to communicate. Leaders should create a safe space for their employees to discuss workplace issues. Encourage open communication and make sure everyone feels comfortable sharing their perspectives and hearing from others. Moreover, they can provide resources such as access to mental health professionals, such as occupational therapists, or referrals for external support services that focus on emotional wellness, if available.

Be honest. If your industry or organization is facing difficult times, leaders should be honest with the people involved. Trying to cover up the situation can lead to distrust and further mistrust between teams and leadership. Instead, bring everyone together in order to collaboratively find solutions that will help get the ship back on course. Additionally, leaders should also strive for transparency when it comes to dealing with employee attitudes and behaviors, particularly those exhibiting "toxic positivity." If a toxic attitude is present, address it head-on in order to foster an environment of mutual respect among employees.

Recognize your emotions. One way to cope with toxic positivity is to recognize that it is not helpful. Rather than focusing on what can go right, it is more beneficial to focus on reality and accept our emotions. According to an article, you can practice meditation to observe your feelings without judgment and develop a more objective viewpoint. You should also remember that it's okay to not be okay; life isn't always sunshine and rainbows. Taking some time for yourself and acknowledging your struggles can be incredibly beneficial.

Conclusion

Feelings of negativity are normal, and we all experience them at one point in our lives. It is therefore important to acknowledge and express them as we do with positive vibes. Looking at the bright side of things is good, but even then, we must be very careful not to go down the road of tragic optimism, especially at work.


Forbes Business Council is the foremost growth and networking organization for business owners and leaders. Do I qualify?


Follow me on LinkedInCheck out my website