How To Deal With Jealous People

Your engagement should be one of the happiest times of your life, and something those around you are happy about as well. Unfortunately that isn’t always the case. Sometimes a person’s reaction to an engagement is jealousy, and this can make a happy time a lot less pleasant. Here are some ways to cope.

First, try and understand where the jealous person’s feelings are coming from. Have they recently ended a relationship, or perhaps they are in one that isn’t doing well or not in one at all and wish they were? If this is the case, realize that their jealousy is a reflection of their own unhappiness and don‘t take it personally. Be as understanding and supportive as you can. When you are around them, minimize the wedding talk and be sure to show plenty of interest in how they are doing.

Another cause of jealousy is a simple fear that your impending marriage may mean you won’t have time for them anymore. Again, try to be understanding and reassuring, and take time out of the wedding planning to do simple things like going out to lunch, seeing a movie, shopping, or just hanging out. This will let your pals know their friendship is still important to you!

There is another kind of jealousy that is particularly hard to deal with-the kind borne out of simple selfishness or worse. I’m talking about the ex who’s jealous that you’re marrying someone else instead of them or the co-worker who’s had an intense secret crush on you and can’t handle their disappointment. This kind of jealousy is rooted in a deep insecurity and inability to handle rejection, and can be dangerous. Instead of trying to help such individuals it is advised to simply avoid them all costs. If you are in a situation like this and feel unsafe, listen to your instincts! Contact the police and take out a restraining order if necessary. If it’s a co-worker causing the problem, don’t hesitate to speak to your company’s human resources department. This is one time when you shouldn’t be worried about hurt feelings-your safety takes priority!

Have you had to deal with jealous people since you’ve been engaged? Tell us about it and how you dealt!