Ridicule or ridicule is a form of emotional abuse that can have a negative impact on your quality of life. So what is the best way to deal with it? First of all, try to assess the situation first. After that, understand how to properly respond to ridicule and ask for help from those closest to you if necessary.
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Method 1 of 4: Assessing the Situation
Step 1. Realize that the situation isn't all about you
Often, people who like to make fun of each other are the ones who feel insecure. Their “bullying” is often rooted in their fear, narcissism, and need to control the situation; ironically, bullying others can make them feel stronger. Realize that chances are, the situation is not happening because of you. Undoubtedly, this perspective will help you to approach the situation with more confidence.
Step 2. Understand the motivation
In order to find the best solution, you first need to understand the reasons behind his mocking behavior. Sometimes, someone mocks others so that he can feel better about his own life. Not infrequently, they do it because they are not able to understand you and your situation well.
- For example, your co-worker may always make fun of the way you dress because he feels you don't deserve to be treated well by your boss at work.
- As another example, you may be a person with a disability. In that case, the person mocking you may not be able to understand that your condition makes it difficult for you to participate in various activities.
- Remember, some forms of ridicule are not meant to hurt you. It could be that the ridicule comes as a response to teasing others for something unique in you.
Step 3. Try to avoid people making fun of you if possible
By doing so, you reduce the percentage of ridicule or reproach you receive. Therefore, try to limit – or completely avoid – contact with people who make fun of you.
- If you receive teasing or teasing on your way home from school, ask your parents to help you find a safer route home.
- If you receive online ridicule or teasing, consider removing the accounts of the person making fun of you from all of your social media pages. If that's not possible, try to reduce the frequency with which you use social media.
Step 4. Determine if the ridicule you receive is unlawful
In some cases, ridicule can be categorized as unlawful violence. For example, if your co-worker is constantly commenting on your body, it could be categorized as sexual harassment and must be reported immediately to the appropriate authorities.
If you are still in school, you have the right to feel safe and learn in a distraction-free environment. If someone violates this right (or discourages you from going to school), make sure you report the violation to your teacher or parent
Method 2 of 4: Responding to Ridicule or Criticism
Step 1. Prepare for the situation
If you have to spend time with people who are always mocking you, at least equip yourself with powerful strategies for dealing with the situation that will come. Try practicing your response with the help of those closest to you.
- Try role-playing with a trusted friend or relative. For example, ask your best friend to say, "Oh Anna, you have such a bad haircut." Then try to give a positive response like, "Thanks for your opinion, but I like it and that's all that matters.".
- If your boss often demeans your work, try saying, “Your behavior is unprofessional and hinders my productivity. If it continues, I will not hesitate to report you to the HRD staff.”.
Step 2. Stay calm
It's important that you respond calmly to ridicule, even if you really want to get angry or cry. Remember, people who make fun of you are most likely waiting for your reaction. Do not grant their wishes; stay calm and in control.
When someone taunts you, try to take a deep breath before responding
Step 3. Show your assertiveness
Be honest and straightforward about the effect the ridicule has had on you. Make sure you use a calm but firm tone of voice when explaining the objection.
- If your classmate makes fun of your shoes, try saying, “You pissed me off when you made fun of me in front of the rest of my class. So please, stop doing it.”
- If your co-worker is discriminating against gender, try saying, “Your words can be categorized as sexual harassment. If you do it again, I will not hesitate to report you to our supervisor.”
Step 4. Ignore the ridicule you receive
Sometimes silence and avoiding is the best response. You can pretend you didn't hear the sneer or try to change the topic. By doing so, you are choosing not to pour gasoline on an already smoldering fire.
- If you receive online ridicule, do not respond.
- If you receive ridicule from close relatives, ignore the taunts and walk away from their presence.
Step 5. Respond to ridicule with humor
Sometimes responding to ridicule with humor is effective. Humor is effective in reducing the tension of the situation, making the perpetrator feel helpless, and even disrupting the perpetrator's initial intentions. While this is often difficult to do, try to respond to the ridicule you receive with a joke.
- If a poster you made last night is teased by your coworkers, try saying, “You're right, this poster is terrible. I shouldn't have allowed my 5 year old to make it.”
- Another strategy worth trying is to pretend to be surprised to follow the line of his taunts. For example, you could say, “Oh my God! You are right! Thank you for clearing my mind!”
Step 6. Report harassment about gender, sexuality, religion or disability
You must report such harassment to the authorities because it has violated the applicable law!
Step 7. Talk to people who make fun of you
For example, if you are constantly teased by your parents or close relatives, try asking them to sit down and talk about the matter. Explain clearly your feelings; Also explain the impact the ridicule has on your quality of life.
- If your mom is constantly making fun of your appearance, try saying, “I feel hurt every time you comment on my clothes, my hair, even my makeup. From now on, please stop doing it.”
- Even if the ridicule isn't meant to hurt you, you can still object as long as it's bothering you. For example, you could say, “I like being friends with you. You like to tease me, so do I. Sometimes it's fun; but you start to hurt my heart if you start teasing me about my husband, my clothes, my children, etc…”.
Method 3 of 4: Feeling Better
Step 1. Increase your self-esteem and self-confidence
Usually, people with low self-esteem have a harder time responding to ridicule or temptation. Improving self-esteem does take time, but not impossible to do. In fact, you can do this through simple things like:
- Praise yourself. Every morning, look at your reflection in the mirror and say one positive thing about how you looked that morning. For example, “This morning your eyes look brighter than usual. You look even prettier."
- Write down any strengths, accomplishments, and things you admire about yourself. At least, fill each category with five items. Save the list carefully and make sure you read it every day.
Step 2. Practice self-awareness
Practicing self-awareness is a powerful strategy for dealing with ridicule or harassment that you receive. Try taking a warm bath, taking a walk in the city park alone, or doing other fun things like taking care of yourself at the salon. The activities above are strategies to practice mindfulness and increase your self-esteem; sure, you will feel better in no time.
Step 3. Strengthen your defenses
By doing so, it will be easier for you to recover after receiving ridicule or temptation from others. Improve your defenses so you can protect yourself from the ridicule and harassment you receive. Some things you can do to strengthen your defenses include:
- View mistakes as opportunities to learn.
- Remind yourself that you are capable of choosing your response.
- Set realistic goals.
- Build confidence.
Step 4. Learn to be more assertive
Showing assertiveness can reduce the ridicule and harassment you receive. To do this, make sure you are able to say “no” to other people; make sure you are also able to express needs clearly and straightforwardly.
- Be specific about the things that bother you. For example, “You always make fun of my hair by calling me poodle or lion hair.”.
- Express how you feel about the ridicule. For example, you could say, “I get annoyed every time you call me that. My hair is good, really!”
- Say your wish. For example, “I want you to stop making fun of my hair. If you do it again, I will go and ignore you.”
Method 4 of 4: Seeking Help
Step 1. Talk to your parents
If you are a teenager, don't be afraid to report any teasing or harassment you receive to your parents. Ask for their help to solve the problem.
Try saying, "Dad/Mom, a friend at school keeps making fun of me. I've asked them to stop but to no avail."
Step 2. Report any teasing or harassment you receive to a teacher or other professional
If someone at school is constantly teasing you, don't hesitate to report the situation to your teacher, school counselor, or even the UKS staff. They are professionally trained to help you deal with such situations.
Try saying, "A friend at school keeps making fun of me and I don't know what to do."
Step 3. Report any ridicule or harassment you receive to the appropriate authorities
If you are often teased or harassed at work, try to document any unpleasant behavior you receive and report it to the appropriate authorities such as your boss or HR staff at your office.
