Toxic Positivity
Today, I want to cover something so many patients talk about, when it comes to the support people get from family members, friends, co-workers, or advice given by doctors and that's
"Toxic Positivity".
Now you might ask, "How can being positive be a toxic thing?' The answer to that question is...
Being toxic positive is harmful to ones health if it is not accompanied by others forms of treatment and/or backed up and supported with, ongoing guidance.
Here's an example: A patient with ringing in the ears goes to a doctor. The doctor tells them, "You have tinnitus." The patient asks, "What can I do, I can't sleep at night, I can't concentrate at work, friends are getting frustrated with me?" The doctor replies, "There's no cure for tinnitus. You have to learn to live with it."
How does this help the patient?
The fact is it doesn't. The doctor failed to follow through by backing up that statement with helpful informative information like:
- What tinnitus is.
- How one gets tinnitus.
- The many different forms of treatment out there that can help minimize one tinnitus.
- Why habilitating is so important for their condition.
Here's another example of toxic positive. You're sitting at the table talking with a family member, friend, or co-workers. You voice your frustration about the ongoing ringing in your ears and how you can't go to an event you really wish you could go too, but the ringing will be triggered. They reply, "Get over it already and just be happy."
How is that helpful or even supportive?
The fact is, it's not! One can't just "get over tinnitus" There is no known cure for the condition that effects thousands of people from all different backgrounds. It's not just military related like some believe. Nor should anyone assume you must have listened to loud music all your life.
Tinnitus affects young and old, teachers, musicians, service personal, children, office workers, the cashier who just rang you out as you picked up groceries. You can't line 10 people up and point out who has tinnitus, because tinnitus is an invisible disability.
The reply made, "Get over it and just be happy", is neither supportive or helpful even if you had the best intentions of trying to think positive.
Being positive isn't a cure. Can being positive be helpful? Yes, absolutely! We know that being positive can reduce stress and anxiety. But like with everything else in the world, you can't just prescribe being positive and nothing else.
Do you tell a person trying to lose weight to just eat less? No, of course not! We know there are other things one has to do in order to lose weight. We also know, if you stop doing those things, you can gain the weight right back.
So while being positive is important, to having any medical condition, and in life itself, it's not the only thing, and it has to be followed up with further guidance and treatments.
How is that helpful or even supportive?
The fact is, it's not! One can't just "get over tinnitus" There is no known cure for the condition that effects thousands of people from all different backgrounds. It's not just military related like some believe. Nor should anyone assume you must have listened to loud music all your life.
Tinnitus affects young and old, teachers, musicians, service personal, children, office workers, the cashier who just rang you out as you picked up groceries. You can't line 10 people up and point out who has tinnitus, because tinnitus is an invisible disability.
The reply made, "Get over it and just be happy", is neither supportive or helpful even if you had the best intentions of trying to think positive.
Being positive isn't a cure. Can being positive be helpful? Yes, absolutely! We know that being positive can reduce stress and anxiety. But like with everything else in the world, you can't just prescribe being positive and nothing else.
Do you tell a person trying to lose weight to just eat less? No, of course not! We know there are other things one has to do in order to lose weight. We also know, if you stop doing those things, you can gain the weight right back.
So while being positive is important, to having any medical condition, and in life itself, it's not the only thing, and it has to be followed up with further guidance and treatments.
Have you experience toxic positive?
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