Stress can be caused in different ways and if we don’t control it, we might end up suffering from chronic anxiety, physical ailments, or worse, end up with mental illness.
According to numerous research, coping with difficult relationships is considered one of the major causes of stress. You might decide to stop seeing the stress causers or mixing with them, but what if that difficult person is living with you or working with you?
Below you will find some of the tips that might come in handy when dealing with different types of difficult people for a less stressful life.
The Angry, Pushy Aggressive: This type of person has a problem with controlling their emotions so just take a deep breath and let them blow off steam but draw the line when they become abusive. When speaking to them call them by their name, this will wake them up a little. State the facts and make sure you don’t argue with them as it is a losing battle. Wait for them to calm down and explain your point of view. Try not to take it personally. After all, it is about them not you!
The Sniper: This type is rude, sarcastic, and likes to make others look foolish – the passive-aggressive type. They are similar to the angry type, but these keep their anger inside and “snipe” at others. Ignore them at first and if you need to speak to them, stay calm, keep your voice neutral and make sure to take a deep breath to keep your emotions in check. Show them that you understand their frustration but keep it factual, not emotional! Staying clear and level-headed are the best defenses against such types.
The Gossiper: This type usually transmits information that is either untrue or hurtful. It can be considered as a type of bullying so joining in is as if you agree to it. If you approach a gossiper who is gossiping about you – which is rather hard to do without getting emotional – stay calm and patient, without any accusations. Talk to them about it and focus only on the misinformation rather than the motives. If someone is gossiping to you about someone else, then steer the conversation to work-related topics and this would let them know that you are not interested. Don’t give fuel to negative conversations by joining in!
The Wall: This type is the stubborn person who will always either say “no” to everything or is never flexible. It is either their way or no way. The best way to deal with this type is to try to see their point of view first, take a pause (stay calm) and don’t react, but let them know your opposing view, speak slowly so they understand what you are bringing into the table. If they still insist then withdraw and leave them to think it over!
When confronted with a difficult person, remember to stay calm, think factually – not emotionally – and don’t stay around the source of negativity. It is recommended to practice brief relaxation skills to help you stay calm whenever you face difficult people using these “Quick Relaxation Tips”:
- Take a deep breath and slowly breath out
- Count to 10 or divert your thoughts elsewhere
- Drink plenty of water
- Call out a mantra e.g. “I am calm” or “A-Om-Mm”
- Respond, don’t react!
