Toxic Positivity

GLOSSARY

Using positivity in a well-intended but inauthentic manner to suppress, deny, or reject the stress or negative features of a situation. The use of positivity (say, through messages) becomes toxic when it imposes an extreme or unrealistic demand for positivity to the exclusion of other emotions. See also emotional suppression.

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A blue abstract icon featuring two dots and a curved line inside a circular border on a black background.

Reference:

Pilarski, C. R., & Kwak, M. (2026). Toxic Positivity. In E.E. Andrews-Ash, K.B. Ayers, D.S. Dunn & M.L. Wehmeyer (Eds). The Oxford Handbook of Positive Psychology and Disability 2n 447-457. https://www.doi.org/10.1093/oxfordhb/9780197749760.001.0001