How to Handle Irrational People

No matter where you are from and where you go, irrational people will be a part of your everyday life. Their unreasonable behavior can be very frustrating at times. Unwilling to comply with logic, they can make life a living hell for those surrounding them. This piece will guide you in dealing with them.

㋡ It also often makes you wonder whether such people simply do not like you, and are behaving in this manner to deliberately hurt others' feelings.

㋡ When you realize someone is behaving irrationally, and reasoning with them becomes increasingly difficult, it might lead to an argument. Furthermore, an argument might make you very angry, which can lead to bitter fights and you losing (and perhaps them as well) your sanity, with neither party arriving at a peaceful conclusion.

㋡ You must realize that the more you argue with such people, the more their illogical reasoning continues, and this can turn into a never-ending cycle. Often, such people behave in such a manner deliberately, just to instigate others. So, when you react angrily, their purpose is solved.

㋡ Heated discussions will lead nowhere, and no good will ever come out of them. No matter how sensibly you try to reason it out with them, they will probably not see any logic in it.

㋡ Try not to get overcharged, take deep breaths to calm yourself. When you remain unfazed about the situation, they may eventually realize that all that shouting and complaining is not getting them anywhere, and they will gradually back away. This signals that the control of the situation is largely in your hands!

㋡ If you must respond to them anyway, wait till both of you have calmed down, then act. Be self-assertive when you talk, without being overly aggressive. This approach can be rather effective, as seeing you so poised and collected even after an outburst will take them by surprise; and you will succeed in putting forth your opinions without much trouble.

When you approach them, be pleasant and courteous and explain how or why their irrational behavior is of concern to you, and how their talks or actions have had a negative impact on your relationship.

㋡ It's possible that they are not aware that they are being illogical about certain issues. Try to make them see your point of view.

Address them before their insensible manner of behaving takes a turn for the worse, for it is you who will suffer because you are at the receiving end. Who knows, you may get lucky when they realize that their attitude is not right, and they need to change it and become a bit more accommodating.

㋡ Be prepared that this talk might not have the desired effect. There are people who refuse to admit they are stubborn or irrational, and will not cooperate with anyone to set things right, vehemently arguing that their way of doing things is correct.

㋡ This probably sounds too trite, but putting yourself in their shoes will give you a better understanding of the situation from their point of view. Many times, we reciprocate in a particular way to a situation just to prove to the others that our stand is right. Avoid getting into an argument just for the sake of proving you are right.

㋡ Reason it out with yourself. Often, our point of view gets clouded because we are so sure that the others are irrational, hence we are certain that what they are saying will definitely not make sense. Looking at the situation from a different angle may offer you a new perspective, and help in resolving the matter at hand in a more peaceful manner.

㋡ Cutting back on your association with such people will lead to minimum interaction, and will give you your peace of mind. Maintaining distance and giving yourself some space and interacting only when required can make life a bit easier.

㋡ Although this method is not always possible or practical, especially when you have to deal with difficult coworkers, your boss, or even immediate family members on a day-to-day basis, and it's impossible to completely eliminate these people from your life.

There will never be a moment when you can safely say that you do not have to confront irrational people anymore from now on! It's something all of us have to deal with from time to time.

Even the most sensible people have their moments of irrationality. How you cope with such individuals and keep calm is a matter of time and practice, and undoubtedly requires a whole lot of patience. It's better to be aware on how to manage such individuals, rather than fight it and ruin an otherwise fruitful relationship.