How To Deal With An Adult Bully? 4 Ways To Outsmart Them

 / 

, ,

How to deal with an adult bully? Facing such challenges requires strategic finesse. Explore these effective ways to regain control, confidence, and peace in your life.

Dealing with an adult bully is sometimes harder than people think. Be it at work, home, or online, being in the line of fire of adult bullies is a horrible and mentally traumatizing experience.

When we think of bullying our minds resort to thoughts and images of young children or teens in a schoolyard, but adult bullying is more common than you may think.

According to a survey conducted by Harris Poll on behalf of the American Osteopathic Association found that 31% of Americans have been bullied as an adult, and 40 percent of Americans seeing the brunt of cyber-bullying, according to a survey on the by the Pew Research Center.

Adult bullies use different methods to gain โ€œpowerโ€.

Adult bullies may ignore you, then act like theyโ€™re your best friend when the situations serve them well. Theyโ€™re quick to assign blame and point fingers when something goes wrong. And equally quick to claim your good ideas as their own.

They engage in the repeated mistreatment of one or more people through humiliation, intimidation and passive-aggressive sabotage, along with coercion, punishment, belittling, embarrassment, revenge, and threatening behaviors.

How To Deal With An Adult Bully? 4 Ways To Stop Them

1. Safety Firstย 

Never compromise on your safety. It is extremely important to protect yourself both mentally and physically. If the bullying occurs online, do not engage, youโ€™d rather unfriend and block than engage or react in any way. If the bullying occurs at work, speak to your manager or HR.

If you feel you are being bullied in your personal life, seek help, whether itโ€™s paying a visit to your doctor or seeing a psychologist help you devise specific strategies for your situation.

If you believe that youโ€™re in a serious aggressive situation, contact the police. Donโ€™t be afraid to reach out to a professional, and protect your well-being.

Related: 7 Ways To Deal With Verbally Aggressive People

2. Create Distanceย 

Not looking for confrontation? Creating distance may be your best bet in dealing with adult bullies. Realize that your time is valuable, and your happiness and well-being are important.

Unless thereโ€™s something critical at stake, donโ€™t expend yourself by trying to grapple with a person whoโ€™s negatively entrenched.

Whether youโ€™re dealing with a road rage driver, a pushy salesperson, a hostile neighbor, an obnoxious relation, or a domineering supervisor, keep a healthy distance and avoid engagement unless you absolutely have to.

3. Ignore It

If youโ€™re not in a position to keep a healthy distance or avoid engagement, then ignore the inappropriate behavior. Bullies are sometimes driven by a sense of power. Like a kid with a new toy, they get a kick out of pushing a button and seeing what happens.

However, if the button does nothing the child will stop playing with the toy. If we give no response to the bullying behavior we are sometimes able to remove the reason or benefit for the bully to continue.

Some suggestions may be:

  • If someone keeps making jokes at your expense, laugh along with them.
  • If someone makes sarcastic, fake compliments, thank them.
  • When someone says something rude, pretend that you didnโ€™t hear them.
  • If someone harps on the same mistake or accident you made, tell them that is now in the past.

Related: The Real Reason Why Highly Sensitive People Get Bullied

4. Donโ€™t React

Bullies thrive on reaction, which is why they display such absurd behaviors.

Dr. Ken Yeager of the Ohio State University explains this and gives useful tips on what to and what not to do: Donโ€™t react to the attack. Bullies live for the reaction.

If you must speak your truth rather, listen carefully, and respond as the voice of reason, identifying the not-well-thought-through aspects of the bullyโ€™s point.

Remember to take care of yourself and know that the adult bullyโ€™s behavior is not your fault, so do not blame yourself for it, instead, use smart strategies to overcome it.

So, this is how to handle an adult bully in your life. If youโ€™re going through this, share your thoughts and insights in the comments below!


Written byย Ellie Osman
Originally appeared on Untangled Thoughts
How to Deal with An Adult Bully
How Deal Adult Bully pin
how to deal with an adult bully

— Share —

— About the Author —

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Up Next

How to Respond to a Manipulative Apology: 7 Ways You Can Turn the Tables on Emotional Manipulation

Ways to Handle a Manipulative Apology

Manipulative apologies are tricky; they sound like remorse but actually aim to shift blame, guilt-trip, or control the situation. Learning how to respond to a manipulative apology is crucial to maintaining emotional balance and protecting your well-being.

Always remember that apology without change is manipulative, and the quicker you realize that, the better it will be for you and emotional well-being.

Letโ€™s dive into what is a manipulative apology, how does a narcissist apologize and how to respond to a manipulative apology, so that you can handle these situations with confidence, and not get caught in an emotional trap.

Related:

Up Next

9 Malignant Narcissist Traits That Scream โ€˜Stay Away!โ€™

Malignant Narcissist Traits That Scream Stay Away

Ever met someone who just seemed a little too… intense? Maybe they needed control, demanded admiration, or seemed to enjoy making others uncomfortable? These arenโ€™t just common personality flaws โ€“ these are actually malignant narcissist traits.

Spotting these traits can help you steer clear of the emotional roller coaster that follows such people around. Weโ€™ll dive into exactly what is a malignant narcissist, the warning signs to watch out for, and how to deal with a malignant narcissist.

So, let’s get started shall we? We will begin with what is a malignant narcissist.

Related:

Up Next

What Is Child Abuse? Recognizing The Warning Signs

Child abuse and neglect is a very sensitive subject that needs to be handled with care.

One canโ€™t really associate a state like this with just bruises. There is emotional, as well as physical exploitation. Also, for a little kid to heal or recover from it, the earlier one spots the signs of it, the better it is.

Up Next

Unlocking The Pain Of The Past: 10 Signs Of Repressed Childhood Trauma In Adults

Ever find yourself reacting strongly to situations and not quite sure why? Either you hear echoes of your past, or itโ€™s probably because you listen to your inner child. In this article, weโ€™re delving into the signs of repressed childhood trauma in adults โ€“ those subtle whispers from your younger self that can shape your present.

(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});

Up Next

Are Adult Temper Tantrums Dangerous? Recognizing and Addressing the Risks

Adult temper tantrums can be really unpredictable and you never know which direction they might take. This article is going to discuss the dangers of temper tantrums in adults, so that you know how to protect yourself.

(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});

KEY POINTS

Adult temp

Up Next

Spotting Emotional Neglect In Childhood: 8 Important Clues

Anyone who has been through emotional neglect in childhood knows that it never leaves you; it haunts you for the rest of your life. Itโ€™s like an invisible wound, that may not leave invisible scars, but it can shape you in ways you might not even notice.

(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});

Maybe it was the feeling that somethingโ€™s missing from your childhood, but you cou

Up Next

Romantic Manipulation: 10 Subtle Phrases To Watch Out For

Romantic manipulation is sneaky, and it can creep into a relationships without either person fully realizing it. We have all heard those phrases that sound sweet or caring but leaves a bitter aftertaste, making us second-guess our feelings.

(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});

Manipulative partners often have a way with words, twisting them to control or belittle. So, are yo