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Disarm an attack in a text without causing more drama
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Getting a mean text message can really hurt. Your immediate reaction might be anger or sadness, but don’t let your emotions make you say something you’ll regret later! Instead, take a minute to think about who sent the text and what you want your response to do. Is this a friend who could be genuinely upset about something, or a cyberbully or troll who’s being mean for fun? Do you want to turn this into a meaningful conversation, or shut it down completely? To help you out, we’ve compiled a list of responses for any situation. Take a deep breath. You’ve got this!
Response Examples for a Mean Texts
- If you’re upset by a text, say, “I don’t want to respond right now because I’m upset. We can talk later.”
- Ask if something you did caused them to be upset, and send a quick message, “Could you tell me what I did to upset you?”
- To avoid an argument, express your opinion and say, “I don’t want to get into an argument, so let’s move on.”
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References
- ↑ Ashley Smith, PhD. Licensed Clinical Psychologist. Expert Interview. 22 October 2021.
- ↑ https://www.inc.com/susan-steinbrecher/6-ways-to-shut-down-rude-behavior.html
- ↑ https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/click-here-happiness/201710/6-tips-decoding-emotions-in-text-messages
- ↑ https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/click-here-happiness/201807/6-ways-respond-cyberbully
- ↑ https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/the-athletes-way/201512/5-polite-ways-disarm-rude-people
- ↑ https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/click-here-happiness/201807/6-ways-respond-cyberbully
- ↑ https://psychcentral.com/blog/how-to-respond-to-rude-or-inappropriate-remarks#responses
- ↑ https://www.inc.com/susan-steinbrecher/6-ways-to-shut-down-rude-behavior.html
- ↑ https://psychcentral.com/blog/how-to-respond-to-rude-or-inappropriate-remarks#responses
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