What to do if someone is being mean to you? (2023)

How do you respond when someone is mean to you?

React to rudeness with kindness.

Don't let a rude person cause you to respond with more of the same hurtful thing. One of the best ways to defuse rude and negative behavior is to stay friendly and positive. This gives the other person a chance to calm down and adjust their behavior to match yours.

Best responses/comebacks when a friend is being rude to you

01“I hope you didn't mean that in a bad way because that was hurtful.” 02“I'll give you some time to calm down because I don't know why you're acting this way. Let's give each other some space before we both say something we regret.”

Getting a mean text message can really hurt. Your immediate reaction might be anger or sadness, but don't let your emotions make you say something you'll regret later! Instead, take a minute to think about who sent the text and what you want your response to do.

Calmly explain what the problem is and how their behavior is affecting you. Don't be afraid to firmly but politely ask them to explain their behavior. Use I-focused language so that the other person does not feel accused. For example, "I feel very disrespected when you speak to me in that tone of voice."

Acknowledge your anger and hurt together.

To cope in a healthy way, acknowledge both these emotions together. Literally say to yourself, "I feel hurt and angry...." Acknowledging your specific, precise emotions is the first step of self-compassion. Acknowledging your anger can help you not personalize the comment.

No response is indeed a powerful response especially when responding would invite unnecessary trouble. When they don't respond, they show you how they view you and the situation even without saying a single word. Silence carries so much weight.

When a person is mean to you?

Be honest about your feelings, and tell him/her that you felt hurt from the way they acted. If that person continues being mean, give them a more serious lecture for them to understand what they've been doing. Try to get them to understand that they don't accomplish anything by being mean.

Why do we allow others to disrespect us? Very often, most people allow when someone disrespects you in your own home, in the workplace, in friendships, or in relationships. A common reason for that is, that we allow it because we are emotionally incapable of hurting them back. And we know how it feels to get hurt.

Give them the benefit of the doubt, both experts agree. If you wait seven days, without sending a double text, and your inbox is still at zero, you should take that as a sign too. No response is a response, Fields says.

Reply within 30–60 minutes to play it a little cool.

While it's okay to reply later if you're actually busy, purposefully waiting to text somebody might feel disrespectful if you're available. If you had to make the person wait for more than an hour, offer them an apology and explain what kept you from messaging them.

If people are being mean to you--or you think "Why is everyone mean to me?"--remember these three things: They could be dealing with something major in their own life. You could be seeing something that's not really there. They could be legitimately being mean to you because you have something they want.

The motivation for punishing people who are 'too nice'. People who are generous and cooperative can get punished by others for being 'too good', new research finds. Humans in all cultures can be suspicious of those who appear nicer or better than the rest.

Low Self-esteem

A careful observation of many rude individuals will reveal that they are deeply insecure, with low self-confidence and a lack of understanding about human behavior. As the Brazilian novelist Paul Coelho sagely observed: “How people treat others is a direct reflection of how they feel about themselves.”

The BEST Way To Respond To Insults - YouTube

When a person is mean to you?

Be honest about your feelings, and tell him/her that you felt hurt from the way they acted. If that person continues being mean, give them a more serious lecture for them to understand what they've been doing. Try to get them to understand that they don't accomplish anything by being mean.

Avoid returning insults.

Tell yourself, "The best way to upset this person is not to insult them in return, but to let them know their words have no impact on me." Try to beat them with kindness. Returning kindness for insults would make them realise their mistakes sometimes.

We are wired so that it feels bad to lose social status and feels good to gain it. That's why a teasing jibe from a good friend isn't painful—we haven't lost status from it—but an unanswered email from our boss or a dilatory response to an invitation can diminish our sense of self-worth.

A backhanded (or left-handed) compliment, or asteism, is an insult that is disguised as, or accompanied by, a compliment, especially in situations where the belittling or condescension is intentional.