When faced with unprovoked aggression, it can be tempting to respond in kind. However, this is often not the most advantageous way to deal with aggressive behavior. In many cases, it is possible to respond effectively to aggressive behavior without escalating the situation. In other circumstances, coping strategies are a better means of dealing with aggression. However, when dealing with someone whose anger is out of control, the best thing to do is to walk away, if possible, according to the Mayo Clinic.
Respond Assertively
Parents should encourage children to express their feelings in words rather than by acting out, according to Healthy Children. Parents should also teach children to say "no" when appropriate, and encourage children to compromise to settle differences with their peers rather than resort to inappropriate aggressive behavior. As an adult, you can adopt assertive responses to aggressive behavior by refraining from hand wringing, using "I" statements to express your feelings during a disagreement and even rehearsing responses to various situations, the Mayo Clinic advises.
Take Preventive Measures
If you are the target of stalking or domestic abuse, you may feel helpless and isolated. However, in both circumstances, it's important to let people know you are being harassed. In addition, there are measures you can take that may reduce the detrimental effects of abuse or stalking on your well being. Develop a plan to escape a domestic violence situation quickly, and have a bag packed with clothing, money, identification, car keys and other necessary items hidden or in safe keeping with a friend or neighbor, the Mayo Clinic advises. Stalking victims should keep a log of every attempted encounter, vary their routines, and limit access to personal information such as private phone numbers or email addresses to trusted family and friends, according to Sexual Harassment Support.
Deal With the Source
Dealing with the source of aggressive behavior can often defuse the situation, or at least mitigate it. For instance, discussing chronic lateness with an employee, friend or partner can reveal hidden resentment about being passed over for a raise, feelings of not being appreciated in the relationship or some other actual or perceived slight. Maintaining a calm, stable environment can minimize the frustration and fear Alzheimer's' patients often experience and sometimes express through aggressive actions, according to the Mayo Clinic and Healthy Place. Anger management counseling can identify underlying triggers for hostility and inappropriate outbursts and teach ways of expressing anger in a controlled manner to you, your partner or a family member, according to the Mayo Clinic.
Practice Nonviolent Civil Disobedience
During the modern civil rights movement of the 1950s and 1960s, protesters practiced nonviolent civil disobedience in the face of beatings, arrests and killings at the hands of law enforcement officials in the southern United States. Their restraint coupled with the brutality of the treatment they received were a major factor in swaying public opinion away from supporting segregation, according to Infoplease. The practice of nonviolent resistance dates to ancient times. One of the most influential descriptions of civil disobedience can be found in the 1849 text "On the Duty of Civil Disobedience" by Henry David Thoreau. Practitioners of civil disobedience stage sit-ins, marches and other forms of peaceful protest to promote social change, according to Infoplease and ACT-UP.
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