Grandparent scam: London, Ont., senior beats fraudsters not once, but twice
It was a typical Tuesday for Mabel Beharrell, 84, until she got the call that would turn her world upside down. Her teenaged grandson was in trouble and needed her help.
It can be tempting to tell our family and friends who are feeling down to just "be positive" and "look on the bright side." However, one expert says that these phrases could actually do more harm to their mental health.
Toronto-based psychotherapist Sarah Ahmed says such phrases are part of "toxic positivity," which is defined as the belief that people should maintain a positive mindset no matter how difficult a situation is.
"What it does is it actually invalidates and minimizes the range of emotions that human beings, very naturally, experience," Ahmed told CTV's Your Morning on Monday.
Ahmed says toxic positivity can be a way to avoid dealing with the range of negative emotions that come from a distressing event, which can lead to further negative mental health effects.
"When you're avoiding your emotions, you're actually causing more harm and this harm can show up physically for many of us in the in the way of hypertension, headaches, chronic pain, increased stress, of course, and also a greater risk of mortality," she said.
It can be difficult to avoid toxic positivity. On Instagram, for example, hashtags such as #goodvibesonly and #staypositive have tens of millions of posts. Ahmed says brands have also tried to capitalize on toxic positivity as well, given that these hashtags and phrases often get printed on products.
"The way it's marketed is that it makes us believe and feel as though gaining these products or purchasing these products will somehow help us on our journey to happiness. And that's why it's so popular," Ahmed explained.
Ahmed says there are things we can do to avoid having a toxically positive mindset. She suggests journaling in order to better process feelings, as well as being mindful of the kind of social media content that we consume.
"I think it's safe to say acknowledge and address that we don't always have to be positive about everything," she said. "Some situations are distressful, so (be) very honest with yourself in a very compassionate manner."
"Look on the bright side" and "be positive."
These are some of the most common toxic phrases that get thrown around. Instead, Ahmed suggests saying, "I'm here to support you in ways that you need."
"Everything happens for a reason."
"It's one we hear very often and I'm also guilty of it and I remember hearing as well growing up," said Ahmed.
As an alternative, Ahmed suggests saying "Sometimes, things happen to us and they're very difficult and we can't really make sense of them. And it just sucks and that's okay."
It was a typical Tuesday for Mabel Beharrell, 84, until she got the call that would turn her world upside down. Her teenaged grandson was in trouble and needed her help.
The deaths of four people on a farm near the Saskatchewan village of Neudorf have been confirmed a murder-suicide.
The Canada Revenue Agency announced Thursday it will not require 'bare trust' reporting from Canadians that it introduced for the 2024 tax season, just four days before the April 2 deadline.
The Parole Board of Canada has granted full parole to one of three men convicted in the brutal murders of three McDonald's restaurant workers in Cape Breton more than 30 years ago.
Nearly 20 hours after a man climbed and remained perched on top of the Reconciliation Bridge in downtown Calgary, the situation came to a peaceful resolution.
Ontario released its annual sunshine list Thursday afternoon, noting that the largest year-over-year increases were in hospitals, municipalities, and post-secondary sectors.
Genetic analysis has shed light on a long-standing mystery surrounding the fates of U.S. President George Washington's younger brother Samuel and his kin.
A spokesman for a regional Muslim advocacy group says Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre's stance on the Israel-Hamas war could complicate his party's relationship with Muslim Canadians.
Former U.S. President Donald Trump is officially selling a copy of the Bible themed to Lee Greenwood’s famous song, 'God Bless the USA.' But the concept of a Bible covered in the American flag has raised concern among religious circles.
B.C. conservation officers recently seized a nine-foot-long Burmese python from a home in Chilliwack.
A New Brunswicker will go to bed Thursday night much richer than he was Wednesday after collecting on a winning lottery ticket he let sit on his bedroom dresser for nearly a year.
The Ontario government is introducing changes to auto-insurance, but some experts say the move is ill-advised.
A Toronto restaurant introduced a surprising new rule that reduced the cost of a meal and raised the salaries of staff.
Newfoundland’s unique version of the Pine Marten has grown out of its threatened designation.
A Toronto man is out $12,000 after falling victim to a deepfake cryptocurrency scam that appeared to involve Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.
It started small with a little pop tab collection to simply raise some money for charity and help someone — but it didn’t take long for word to get out that 10-year-old Jace Weber from Mildmay, Ont. was quickly building up a large supply of aluminum pop tabs.
There’s a group of people in Saskatoon that proudly call themselves dumpster divers, and they’re turning the city’s trash into treasure.
Ontario is facing a larger than anticipated deficit but the Doug Ford government still plans to balance its books before the next provincial election.