Use Humor. Try deflecting belittling behavior with humor. Respond with humor or exaggerate the belittling comment and make a joke out of it. Doing this could help someone to realize the outrageousness of what they have said if it is not based on solid facts or evidence.
If someone is simply badgering you after you've made your boundaries clear, quickly find a way out of the conversation. For example, say something like, "We're not seeing eye to eye on the money issue and I'm not sure we're going to. I think we should drop it." From there, you can find an excuse to leave.
How do you ignore someone who is trying to provoke you?
Try going for a walk, making a phone call, watching something you like on YouTube--anything that keeps your mind engaged and off the other person, giving you time to cool down and bring your emotions back to balance.
First, this little pause might alert them to listen to what they just said and correct themselves. Second, it gives you a moment to stay calm and think. Next, use a question. Rude people sometimes do not realize they are being rude, so asking can gently call their attention to it.
There are a variety of causes for this type of behavior. Many factors make people put others down. Psychology says trauma from childhood, low self-esteem, and insecurity are a few major causes. If you want to understand relationships with people who put others down, psychology can help explain the complexity to you.
Instances of badgering incorporate hostile jokes, racial slurs, verbally abusing, actual attacks, dangers of savagery, terrorizing strategies, deride, joke, affronts, posting or sharing of hostile pictures, and meddling with work execution. Harassment can happen in various situations and conditions.
As we mentioned, many people don't realize they have toxic traits. So, telling someone that their actions have hurt your emotional well-being may help them understand they need to change.
Emotional and psychological abuse can take many forms, including belittling, which can manifest as judging, humiliating, criticizing, trivializing or telling hurtful jokes. But belittling is no joking matter. It's a tactic often used by abusers to make their victims feel small, unimportant or disrespected.
People with NPD may be intentionally arrogant, superior or vain. They will often act in a pretentious way in group settings, belittle others, and look to control conversations. While their self-concept is often an overinflated one, people with NPD typically have a fragile ego.
Belittling is the intentional act of making another feel worthless, empty, and dismissed. It is one of many forms of psychological and emotional abuse.
Set a Boundary. Boundaries show the people around you how you deserve to be treated. Rather than expressing your anger, consider setting a boundary with the person who disrespected you. Simply saying, “Please don't speak to me that way” or “I'm going to step outside for a moment” puts the control back in your hands.
Never tolerate disrespect or disrespectful people. Disrespect is speaking and behaving in a way that shows no regard for people, laws, customs, social norms or even societal politics.
Deep-Seated Fear of Rejection / Being Unimportant – This is the core of narcissistic rage. Many narcissists are constantly hounded by the insecurity that people may not see them as the privileged, powerful, popular, or “special” individuals they make themselves to be, and react intensely when their fears are confirmed.