Something I really appreciate in the modern era we're living in is the increased awareness about mental illness and the pushing of normalizing comforting people instead of shouting "toughen up." Because too often people value perceived strength over internal peace and a healthy mindset.
However, with the rise of a focus on genuine happiness, you get people making being happy their whole niche. You get "good vibes only" and "be happy" and "only positivity" completely missing the point of emotional health. Now, I want to be clear that there is a certain online aesthetic that fits this description. But I'm talking more of people who believe that downplaying pain will make it better. Of course, too much negativity will affect you and worsen your situation. But not allowing a person to feel negativity at all--especially their own negativity--prevents them from developing a healthy relationship with it.
When you tell someone "you'll get over it" or "it could be worse" it's likely that all you're doing is telling them that their pain isn't valid and isn't worth stressing over. Which isn't fair to that person. Their emotions are their emotions and as a human looking at another human in pain, we should comfort them and help them.
I personally feel as though a good amount of the world's problems would be fixed if everyone received a genuine space to talk. Of course, with the state the world is in, a lot of those people would need to be taught how to use them. But once they learn, they would have a much healthier emotional outlet. It would be easier to identify poor mindsets and mental disorders earlier on if we let people harmlessly express their raw emotions. The onset of mental illness could be caught earlier on and people would receive the help needed and wouldn't need to spiral alone if society just made it clearer that talking is okay.
Toxic positivity also gives rise to masking mental illness. People feeling as tho problems can and should be solved by just smiling. "Just be happy." "Stop complaining." If we allowed people to be sad, tired, disgusted, mad, frustrated, etc., we would have an easier time identifying our own emotions and dealing with them.
I've noticed with myself that that "positive" voice in my head--all it does is wear me down. It beats into my soul and makes me feel bad for feeling anything else. It's when I ignore it and let myself feel--cry, vent, sleep--that I start to feel released and more hopeful about life.
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