A positive individual is one who can deal with emotions without making use of unhealthy ways and accepts them
Published Date – 4 February 2024, 11:45 PM
By Muskan Shah, Dr Garima Rajan
The role social media plays in fostering dialogue and shaping thinking is undeniable. The reach extends to billions worldwide, leaving an indelible mark on individuals, especially on the impressionable minds of those in their formative years. As discourse surrounding mental health practices has become prominent on digital platforms, the need for correct information and knowledge arises.
Positive psychology is, in layman’s terms, a vast field concerned with helping individuals flourish in life, rather than simply survive. Several evidence-based techniques are utilised in the field including journaling and self-reflecting. The inherent power of social media platforms provides us with an opportunity to promulgate accurate information about these tools, enabling individuals to create their own paths towards their well-being.
Fads and Trends
A ‘fad’ is essentially a trend or object which becomes extremely popular for only a short period of time. Trends refer to something that is popular for a comparatively longer amount of time, quickly spreading across all major platforms. Certain aspects of positive psychology have been oversimplified and turned into social media trends. Since it is an impactful platform, the trends, instead of helping the individual in the way the tool was created to, can often prove to have a more detrimental effect. (Pantic, 2014)
A few examples best suited to explain this would include the “good vibes only” mentality, which reinforces toxic positivity, ie encouraging individuals to believe that positive thinking in itself can overcome all obstacles. It ignores the additional steps and efforts that need to be put in along with a positive mindset. Additionally, the multitude of gratitude challenges that are initiated by self-proclaimed wellness gurus, flood the feed every day instilling pressure to constantly express performative displays of gratitude. This process undermines the emotional aspects of thankfulness.
The oversimplification of psychological concepts and reducing them to simple adjectives to use as a slogan or even a hashtag, neglects the nuance of the practice as a whole. This is often done by influencers who do not have any qualifications in this field, and prefer to provide happiness ‘hacks’. These ‘hacks’ are socially shared as a quick fix for rather deep issues that people may be facing on a mental and emotional level, and which actually require professional support (Agteren & Iasiello, 2021). When a trend or fad is put out there without correct instruction and scientific backing, rather than allowing individuals a space to feel deeply all their emotions and address the issues at the root, it beckons them to superficially deal with the obstacles.
Striking a Balance
On social media platforms, terms are often used interchangeably without being aware of the extent of difference in their meaning. The abundance of information available on social media can be efficiently used when there is a healthy balance struck. To create this balance, the difference between optimism and realism must be understood. Optimism is having a positive outlook in situations, while realism is looking at a situation in a much more practical way wherein you accept it as it is and deal with it accordingly.
Along with this, before seeking to strike a balance, it must be understood that being happy all the time, as some believe to be possible and a true representation of being healthy, is actually a myth. A healthy, positive individual is one who is able to deal with emotions without making use of unhealthy ways and being able to accept the emotions and fully experience them. (Melnyk & Neale, 2018)
Any content on social media should be independently explored by consumers, ie analytically thinking about the content in terms of its purpose. If the content claims to be backed by scientific backing, it is always better to do some research firsthand to ensure that the matter is fully understood by the individual. Along with this, it is up to people to introspect whether the outcome is something that would be achievable in their individual circumstances or if it is something unrealistic.
While wanting to improve and better oneself mentally and emotionally is extremely important and beneficial, it is also important to know when to reach out for help. Taking an example of self-reflection and journaling, there are several different types of journaling and sets of journal prompts and questions. Each is curated for different circumstances. For example, individuals in a younger age range stand to benefit more from simplistic journals. On the other hand, there may be some who benefit more from guided journals, wherein there are prompts included. It is always better to reach out to professionals for any kind of help. Additionally, following qualified individuals can also prove to be very useful as there are several professionals on these platforms who can provide valuable insights.
Beyond the Screen
Positive psychology extends to more than the feeling; it encompasses an individual’s strength, social relationships and aspirations as well. One of the greater aspects of social media is its ability to connect individuals all over the world, be it family, friends or colleagues. This makes it one of the most suitable platforms to practice some form of gratitude and appreciation without succumbing to the pressure of performative gratitude.
There is no lack of hatred, negativity or upsetting news on these platforms. Using your individual voice and platform, you could use your platform to advocate for things that matter to you, speak out when the time calls for it and inspire others to do the same. The platform can also be used to uplift others whose work is inspiring to you, initiatives that make an impact on society or other platforms doing any kind of work that calls to you. Small acts of kindness can start right from our digital screens.
The billions of daily users on major social media networks enable communities with similar ideologies and thought processes to come together. This can be in terms of creating a safe space for discussions, providing encouragement to individuals facing similar obstacles or even for professional development. In fact, communities built through social media have even been studied to form a psychological first-aid tool in difficult situations. (Taylor et al, 2012)
Overall, a tool as strong as social media, if utilised correctly, can help make momentous changes in the field of positive psychology owing to its massive reach and popularity. Being mindful while consuming any kind of media, thinking for yourself introspectively and analysing the content consumed can help in creating a more sustainable picture of positivity than what is portrayed online. Look past the facade and deeper into your mind.
