6 “Harmless” Phrase You Say That May Actually Be Toxic

What is toxic positivity? What are the harms of a toxic positivity culture? Who imposes toxic positivity? Have you ever got advice like “It’s nothing, don’t worry” or “everything will be okay” or “relax.” Toxic positivity devalues a person’s problems, imposes unreasonable optimism, and is very not empathetic. Sound familiar? Here are a few “harmless” phrases that are actually toxic.
We hope this video can bring to light that culture of toxic positivity, and what we can do to be more aware about the ways we give advice or talk to others.

Disclaimer: This article is intended for educational purposes regarding social
consciousness and awareness. It is not referencing any specific individual and is not to be taken as such.

We made a PART 1 video about this too: https://youtu.be/4fZ7OuZ5uyc

Writer: Max Gustavo
Script Editor: Denise Ding
Script Manager: Kelly Soong
Voice: Amanda Silvera (www.youtube.com/amandasilvera)
Animator: Korin Werlina
YouTube Manager: Cindy Cheong

REFERENCES

*Hamilton , J. (2020, December 28). 12 seemingly harmless phrases that may be considered toxic. Psych2go.net . Retrieved March 15, 2022, from https://psych2go.net/12-seemingly-harmless-phrases-that-may-be-considered-toxic/

*Schwartz , M. (2016, February 25). Why acting strong is really weak – psychology today. PsychologyToday. Retrieved March 15, 2022, from https://www.psychologytoday.com/intl/blog/shift-mind/201602/why-acting-strong-is-really-weak

*Schimelpfening, N. (2020, August 7). Worst things to say to someone who is depressed. Verywell Mind. Retrieved March 15, 2022, from https://www.verywellmind.com/worst-things-to-say-to-someone-who-is-depressed-1066982