Member-only story
How To Deal With Someone Who Won’t Listen
Avoid the desire to patronize.
Why do we argue? According to psychology today, “Because the social interactions difficult people have are typically filled with frustration or tension, difficult people come to see others as threats or opponents. Accordingly, they see social situations as interactions that produce either a winner or a loser.”
During the past few years, I have gotten into arguments several times. They’re totally normal. I’ve recently learned several strategies to help me practice emotional restraint more effectively during a discussion when someone doesn’t listen. Each of them improved my ability to communicate. Hopefully, they will do the same for you, too.
Be empathetic to the other person.
No matter what you’re discussing, make sure you respect your opponent. There is no point lashing out and raising tensions. After all, those types of actions can negatively impact your relationships. Quoting an article published by Psychology Today:
“Don’t threaten your relationship, and don’t take every argument as a threat to your relationship. This type of emotional blackmail puts the other partner in a panic/fight or flight mode. While you’re telling them you want to leave, they may be making plans to find a roommate. In…
