We all know a condescending person that loves to put others down, it\u2019s time to learn how to deal with them.<\/p>\n
Condescending people are everywhere. Whether they think it\u2019s funny, or maybe just don\u2019t realize they\u2019re doing it, it\u2019s important to know how to handle the situation properly so they don\u2019t drive you crazy.<\/p>\n
They think a lot of their own skills and intelligence,\u00a0often believing themselves to be more skilled in a certain subject than people who are specifically trained.<\/p>\n
They love boasting about their own achievements\u00a0and will find any opportunity to do so.<\/p>\n
They call you pet names like \u2018honey\u2019 or \u2018sweetie\u2019,\u00a0the only purpose of which is to patronize and make others feel small and inferior. These nicknames tend to be highly gendered and exclude other sexes.<\/p>\n
They think they know everything<\/a> and are always right<\/a>,\u00a0making it particularly difficult to approach issues with them.<\/p>\n A condescending person is quick to give out advice, even when you didn’t ask for it.<\/p>\n They put others down<\/a>,\u00a0often being overly critical and gossiping behind people\u2019s backs<\/a>.<\/p>\n They enjoy being the center of attention\u00a0and will try to find ways to garner as much attention<\/a> as possible.<\/p>\n They don\u2019t take others\u2019 feelings seriously, often telling people to \u2018lighten up,\u2019 \u2018take it easy\u2019 or \u2018calm down\u2019. These phrases put the blame onto the person who is insulted or upset, and it is an unfair way to deal with other people\u2019s feelings.<\/p>\n A condescending person is quick to correct others, and often in public. It’s another way to feel better about themselves at someone else’s expense.<\/p>\n They don\u2019t respect other people\u2019s boundaries,\u00a0feeling entitled<\/a> to cross those limits.<\/p>\n They interrupt you,\u00a0showing that they don\u2019t respect you, or what you\u2019re saying.<\/p>\n They use sarcasm often,\u00a0avoiding what they mean directly so that they can absolve themselves of blame<\/a> if someone gets hurt.<\/p>\n They don\u2019t celebrate the achievements of others\u00a0and can become jealous when others succeed instead of them.<\/p>\n They often try to top other people\u2019s achievements,\u00a0giving themselves more glory and seeking more praise.<\/p>\n They explain things that people already know or are maybe even more skilled at,\u00a0which is just downright annoying.<\/p>\n A condescending person will interrupt to correct pronunciation<\/a> or to tell others they\u2019re wrong. This can look like they\u2019re being helpful, but in reality, it is completely unnecessary and makes others feel uncomfortable.<\/p>\n They say they \u2018actually\u2019 like something instead of just liking it, which quickly reduces the value of the thing they like and anything which had been done beforehand.<\/p>\n They name-drop as much as they can,\u00a0letting you know just how important and likable they are.<\/p>\n They don\u2019t apologize properly,\u00a0instead of using words like, \u2018I\u2019m sorry you feel that way<\/em>,\u2019 or outright denying that it was their intention to insult you and, therefore, not apologizing at all.<\/p>\n They might pat you on the head, crossing major personal and professional boundaries. This gives them a feeling of superiority<\/a> and is incredibly rude.<\/p>\n Picking up on whether a person is being condescending is pretty easy, and someone might present one or all of the above behaviors. However, it can be difficult to understand <\/span>why\u00a0<\/span><\/i>someone is acting that way. <\/span><\/p>\n In fact, there could be a whole list of reasons why someone is condescending<\/strong>. The through-line of these reasons is that condescending people feel a need for power. They want to keep people feeling small so they feel big. <\/span><\/p>\n Condescending behaviors allow them to feel that way, but could also be a sign that they are insecure. Patronizing people acts as protection, drawing the attention away from someone’s misgivings and weaknesses.<\/span><\/p>\n Condescension can easily be laughed off, but it\u2019s actually no laughing matter. While they might be trying to make themselves feel better, they are making others feel worse. <\/span><\/p>\n Feeling belittled or of lesser value in a workforce can be destabilizing to mental health and wellbeing. That negativity in a relationship can be even more harmful. <\/span><\/p>\n A study in the\u00a0<\/span>Journal of the American Medical Association<\/a>\u00a0<\/span><\/i>found that being with a negative person increases the risk of heart disease, diabetes, and metabolic disorders. So, while it might be easily shrugged off at the time, the long-term damage is very real, making it important to deal with the condescending behavior properly.<\/span><\/p>\n It can be easy to get agitated when being patronized, but fighting fire with fire means the situation will likely only get worse. Getting upset only gives them another opportunity to tell you to \u2018calm down,\u2019 making you feel even smaller. <\/span><\/p>\n Try to stay calm<\/a> and follow some of these alternative reactions. These tips focus more on self-preservation than changing the condescending person in front of you. It\u2019s important to remember that you are not responsible for changing others, you can only manage your own responses.<\/span><\/p>\n Take a deep breath before doing anything<\/span>\u00a0<\/b>this will allow you to stay calm and collected so that your reaction does not spur them on further. Don\u2019t lose your temper and think before you speak.<\/span><\/p>\n Be clear and firm about your boundaries without making them feel bad. Point out their behavior without outright blaming them and explain why their behavior upsets you. Remind them of your wants and needs, and let them know what you need from the relationship.<\/span><\/p>\n Standing up for yourself<\/a> is so important. Be honest with the other person and let them know that their condescending behavior is unwarranted, unfair, and demeaning. They may not realize how their actions are coming across, so telling them can help them become more self-aware.<\/span><\/p>\n Be aware of your body language and try to stay neutral. Crossing your arms, pointing fingers, rolling your eyes, or getting closer to someone can come across as aggressive. <\/span><\/p>\n Neutralize your body language and try to keep the height neutral. If they are sitting, sit also. If they\u2019re standing, stand up. This gives no person a feeling of an upper ground so that you can talk as equals.<\/span><\/p>\n Your choice of words is also important as being defensive<\/a> can make the situation worse. Don\u2019t just tell someone they\u2019re wrong. Try to respond calmly and let them know you understand where they\u2019re coming from, but share why you think another approach is better. <\/span><\/p>\n If their method is difficult or even impossible, explain to them the barriers so that they understand where you\u2019re coming from.<\/span><\/p>\n Sometimes, the tone of a person\u2019s voice or the way that they say things can come across as condescending, but they\u2019re actually trying to be helpful. Asking them to clarify, while at the same time calling them on the fact you feel patronized can help with communication in the future.<\/span><\/p>\n HR is there for a reason, and if tackling the problem independently hasn\u2019t helped, it might be time to seek help elsewhere.<\/span><\/p>\n Condescension in a personal relationship can erode the trust and closeness essential for healthy relationships. Seeking professional help can be a way to heal a relationship if it\u2019s one that you don\u2019t want to let go of.<\/span><\/p>\n At the end of the day, sometimes all you can do is walk away and let it roll off your back. Ignore it. Condescending behavior speaks more about the person doing it, and not the person being patronized.<\/span><\/p>\n References<\/strong>:<\/p>\n We all know a condescending person that loves to put others down, it\u2019s time to learn how to deal with them. Condescending people are everywhere. Whether they think it\u2019s funny, or maybe just don\u2019t realize they\u2019re doing it, it\u2019s important to know how to handle the situation properly so they don\u2019t drive you crazy. Signs […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":22,"featured_media":46620,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"ocean_post_layout":"","ocean_both_sidebars_style":"","ocean_both_sidebars_content_width":0,"ocean_both_sidebars_sidebars_width":0,"ocean_sidebar":"0","ocean_second_sidebar":"0","ocean_disable_margins":"enable","ocean_add_body_class":"","ocean_shortcode_before_top_bar":"","ocean_shortcode_after_top_bar":"","ocean_shortcode_before_header":"","ocean_shortcode_after_header":"","ocean_has_shortcode":"","ocean_shortcode_after_title":"","ocean_shortcode_before_footer_widgets":"","ocean_shortcode_after_footer_widgets":"","ocean_shortcode_before_footer_bottom":"","ocean_shortcode_after_footer_bottom":"","ocean_display_top_bar":"default","ocean_display_header":"default","ocean_header_style":"","ocean_center_header_left_menu":"0","ocean_custom_header_template":"0","ocean_custom_logo":0,"ocean_custom_retina_logo":0,"ocean_custom_logo_max_width":0,"ocean_custom_logo_tablet_max_width":0,"ocean_custom_logo_mobile_max_width":0,"ocean_custom_logo_max_height":0,"ocean_custom_logo_tablet_max_height":0,"ocean_custom_logo_mobile_max_height":0,"ocean_header_custom_menu":"0","ocean_menu_typo_font_family":"0","ocean_menu_typo_font_subset":"","ocean_menu_typo_font_size":0,"ocean_menu_typo_font_size_tablet":0,"ocean_menu_typo_font_size_mobile":0,"ocean_menu_typo_font_size_unit":"px","ocean_menu_typo_font_weight":"","ocean_menu_typo_font_weight_tablet":"","ocean_menu_typo_font_weight_mobile":"","ocean_menu_typo_transform":"","ocean_menu_typo_transform_tablet":"","ocean_menu_typo_transform_mobile":"","ocean_menu_typo_line_height":0,"ocean_menu_typo_line_height_tablet":0,"ocean_menu_typo_line_height_mobile":0,"ocean_menu_typo_line_height_unit":"","ocean_menu_typo_spacing":0,"ocean_menu_typo_spacing_tablet":0,"ocean_menu_typo_spacing_mobile":0,"ocean_menu_typo_spacing_unit":"","ocean_menu_link_color":"","ocean_menu_link_color_hover":"","ocean_menu_link_color_active":"","ocean_menu_link_background":"","ocean_menu_link_hover_background":"","ocean_menu_link_active_background":"","ocean_menu_social_links_bg":"","ocean_menu_social_hover_links_bg":"","ocean_menu_social_links_color":"","ocean_menu_social_hover_links_color":"","ocean_disable_title":"default","ocean_disable_heading":"default","ocean_post_title":"","ocean_post_subheading":"","ocean_post_title_style":"","ocean_post_title_background_color":"","ocean_post_title_background":0,"ocean_post_title_bg_image_position":"","ocean_post_title_bg_image_attachment":"","ocean_post_title_bg_image_repeat":"","ocean_post_title_bg_image_size":"","ocean_post_title_height":0,"ocean_post_title_bg_overlay":0.5,"ocean_post_title_bg_overlay_color":"","ocean_disable_breadcrumbs":"default","ocean_breadcrumbs_color":"","ocean_breadcrumbs_separator_color":"","ocean_breadcrumbs_links_color":"","ocean_breadcrumbs_links_hover_color":"","ocean_display_footer_widgets":"default","ocean_display_footer_bottom":"default","ocean_custom_footer_template":"0","ocean_post_oembed":"","ocean_post_self_hosted_media":"","ocean_post_video_embed":"","ocean_link_format":"","ocean_link_format_target":"self","ocean_quote_format":"","ocean_quote_format_link":"post","ocean_gallery_link_images":"off","ocean_gallery_id":[],"footnotes":""},"categories":[146],"tags":[224,163],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.learning-mind.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/46619"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.learning-mind.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.learning-mind.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.learning-mind.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/22"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.learning-mind.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=46619"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.learning-mind.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/46619\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.learning-mind.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/46620"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.learning-mind.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=46619"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.learning-mind.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=46619"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.learning-mind.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=46619"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}5. They love giving people advice<\/h3>\n
6. Putting others down<\/h3>\n
7. Seeking the spotlight<\/h3>\n
8. Not taking others’ feelings seriously<\/h3>\n
9. Fans of correcting others<\/h3>\n
10. People’s boundaries don’t mean anything to them<\/h3>\n
11. Interrupting others<\/h3>\n
12. Sarcasm<\/h3>\n
13. Competitive and jealous<\/h3>\n
14. Seeking praise<\/h3>\n
15. Explaining the obvious<\/h3>\n
16. They love correcting others’ pronunciation and mistakes<\/h3>\n
17. ‘Actually’ liking things<\/h3>\n
18. Name-dropping<\/h3>\n
19. Not apologizing<\/h3>\n
20. Improper body language<\/h3>\n
Why are people condescending?<\/h2>\n
Why you should protect yourself from condescending people<\/h2>\n
How to deal with a condescending person<\/h2>\n
1. Be assertive, without being patronizing<\/h3>\n
2. Be honest<\/h3>\n
3. Be aware of your body language<\/h3>\n
4. Try not to get defensive<\/h3>\n
5. Ask for clarification<\/h3>\n
6. If in a workplace, seek support from the HR department<\/h3>\n
7. If in a relationship, consider seeking professional help<\/h3>\n
8. Smile and walk away<\/h3>\n
\n