5 Ways to Handle a grownup Bully

Attending school nearly every day for the first 18 many years of our lives, everyone has experienced bullying in one form or any other. Walking in the front door of elementary school can seem to be like entering a battleground for many. Whether physical or verbal, all types of bullying are painful.

It's simple to believe we'll escape bullying altogether after we leave school. Unfortunately, bullying doesn't stop after our school years. Adults continue to face harsh words and intimidation from coworkers, acquaintances, and even family members. That’s why it’s important to learn to handle an adult bully.

Campaigns to finish bullying are actually commonplace. But the easiest way we are able to cope with less-than-friendly individuals in our lives is by preparing and learning how to respond in these negative situations. Listed here are five impactful ways to handle interactions with adult bullies.

Make Eye Contact

Cyberbullying has grown dramatically using the rise of internet use. This is because it's simpler to act harshly toward others when you don't have to face them in person. By looking someone in the eyes, you can confront all of them with the harshness of what they are trying to do. You can lower the chances that they may follow through with their harsh words. Next time you are feeling someone attempting to intimidate you, try making continuous eye-to-eye contact together. It might feel awkward, but it is going to be worth de-escalating the problem.

Disengage

You may also try leaving the situation or avoiding the bully entirely. As an adult, this can be difficult if they are a coworker or other person you interact with on a regular basis. But you can try your very best to avoid meeting this person in the break room at work. Or try only talk to them when there are other colleagues around. If you cannot always avoid encountering them, make a plan of escape. This could involve saying you forgot a good important phone you need to make. Have a list of these excuses ready when ever you need to get out of a scenario with the bully.

Respond with Kindness, Humor, or Apathy

If you have no way of avoiding interactions with the bully, try responding having a different tone. Reacting with kindness is a common tactic for encouraging others to deal with you better. You can also try making a joke. This can throw off the person and show them you aren't intimidated or affected by what they are saying. Last, should you find it difficult to interact with kindness or humor, try showing as little emotion as you possibly can. Bullies feel empowered by the response of the victims. But if you're apathetic and show little response, the bully loses their reason behind attempting to hurt you in the first place.

Keep a Record

Keeping an eye on interactions using the bully is essential for professional situations, such as in the workplace. You may want to remember events exactly as they happened if you decide to report the incidents to your company's human resources department. While you do not have to record every word of a conversation, do your best to jot down key sentences the bully believed to you that caused harm. Make sure to record how you responded too so you can show your time and efforts to de-escalate the problem.

Empathy

Finally, use empathy to assist yourself feel less hurt or impacted by exactly what the bully says to you. Remember that oftentimes people choose to hurt others because they experienced bullying or other traumatic events in their past. It doesn't justify their actions toward you, but empathizing with them will help you feel less intimidated. You can have a clearer mind and be able to better handle the situation.

All of those strategies can be applied to different types of bullying, from shallow comments to aggressive manipulation. Have confidence in your capability to choose the tactics that best fit the type of bullying you're facing. Always people for assistance from a trusted friend if you feel you cannot handle the situation by yourself. And remember you are not the only one facing bullying being an adult-we've all been through it and the right friend can help you take action.