Toxic Positivity: The Pressure to be Okay

The word “positivity” is one that gives us immense hope. When people say that everything will eventually be okay if we remain positive, we start practicing it and wait for our turn to be happy. But things keep going wrong, and we can’t cling to that hope forever—we are only human, after all. Yet, somewhere, our mind forces us to believe what others say, and we embark again on an unwanted journey of positivity, just to not let that last ray of hope break. That’s when toxicity surrounds us, and we don’t even get to know.

People often don’t understand how important it is to release our inner thoughts and negativity. When our mind is already occupied with inner negativity, outer positivity only feels like an extra burden. Anyone may tell you the ways of letting it out, but no one explains the power of doing so, nor do they truly understand it. People always underestimate the power of letting it all out.

When talking about people, the listener is someone who is surrounded by negativity and outer toxic positivity most of the time. Hence, it is the listener who needs a listener more than anyone else. When discussing behavior patterns, no one ever talks about the pressure to look presentable, to look okay literally all the time—even when you are breaking inside. That heaviness in the chest, that choking feeling in the throat when you want to cry your heart out but somehow can’t.

I hope that as I write this, people find others with whom they can let their hearts out. I hope people get rid of the pressure on themselves, and that others understand they don’t have to be the ones who put pressure on others, nor do they have to be the ones who take that pressure on themselves. True emotional well being begins not with forced smiles but with the courage to acknowledge our pain. Hence, I hope people understand: “It’s okay to not be okay.”

~Adeeba Khan~

Writer’s Introduction : My name is Adeeba Khan. I am a medical student of last year medical school. I started writing while I was in junior school. But after I finished my school I got busy with my studies. Recently during my holidays while I was busy with my other hobbies (painting, calligraphy etc.) I regained motivation for writing when I posted some of my previously written poems online and it got published. This platform is something which is really helpful for the writers like us.