Dealing with mean/hostile people

If someone is mad at you and later on if they try to talking to you and you ignore them does that make them even madder? I have found in hostile situations the best thing to do is to go about my business and ignore the hostile person. I have found that is the best way at getting back at them ignoring them.

It depends 100% on the hostile person, what the situation is, and what their personality is like.

Some might get angry and some might see it as a sign that they "won" because you won't respond. Others yet might be happy because they like to get the last word in.

It depends on a lot of factors.

When I don't like people and I always have a good reason to not like someone if I dislike them I do know if they keep on trying to make me talk to them when I don't want to I do think it makes them angry they can't get a response. Personally if I tried talking to someone and they ignored it would make me mad. I do know that the few people who tried to make me talk to them was trying to start an argument so I knew the best thing was to keep my mouth shut. When people want an argument with me the best thing is for me to stay quiet. I also figure that me staying quiet I am showing them I refuse to come down to their level.

It's likely that they take you ignoring them as a weakness? I really don't know at this point, nor would I be able to give you a solid answer unless I knew more about the situation as a whole.

If the situation gets to the point to where they're harassing you, it would be best to file a police report against them and receive your friend's pepper spray and not be afraid to use it if needed.

Each to their own? Each person deals with hostility differently as well as each person deals with being ignored differently.

Ignoring them is an expression of anger to them. You are telling them that you are angry with them.

I'm not sure what your situation is exactly. Its best to nip it in the bud early on by either talking it out with the person, setting boundaries, or if they're the type who just wants to harass you, start documenting it or report it. If you are too quiet, isolated, or un-confrontational, there are people who will take advantage of that.

There was a man I barely knew who was harassing me for a while and my response was to ignore him, and I wish that I had actually reported it or told him to F off, it would have made me feel much better and safer. He was using me as an emotional punching bag because I hurt his precious man fee-fees by not being friendly and interested enough. I ignored him because I don't trust or care for men who act that way, my ignoring him was fueling his anger, my lack of response-and consequences- made it appear safe for him to continue bullying me, and he didn't have the emotional maturity to let it go and move on.

Sometimes you need to directly tell them to piss off, or they might see your ignoring them as a sign of weakness and they'll consider it safe to continue. Let them know that there will be consequences, and if need be, start documenting and reporting harassment.

If you are "getting back at them", that means that you are angry too.

What I do is wait and give them time, try not to react, and remember that almost always an angry person is also very unhappy.

- vital

I think ignoring them is the best thing for ME because I can escalate a situation
by becoming confrontational. BUT , if someone was mad at me and tried to communicate with me later in an adult and courteous manner I would definitely reply so as to try and resolve the problem or repair a damaged relationship.

It depends on the situation. Are you talking about the workplace?

If someone flares up at me, its unlikely I will ever talk to them again. Unless they want to sincerely apologize, but even then, I am going to avoid them in the future.

The exceptions to that are very close, long time friends or family members. I don't tolerate hostility or tantrums coming from adults. I have too many other problems going on in my life to deal with people who have flare-ups.

I have found that is the best way at getting back at them ignoring them. - I agree.

On the other hand there is something rewarding in being a bustard and taking the mickey, playing on their weaknesses and generally winding them up. But of course I am one the last great British rotters.

I rely upon good old passive-aggression and sarcasm. Yes, ignoring does guarantee you will always seem the more mature of the two, and therefore victorious, but it lacks the gratification of a quick quip.
Once, whilst a cashier for a small dollar store, a woman asked me if we carried some sort of car-pump. Again, I must reiterate: I worked at a Dollar Store. We had air-fresheners and ash-trays.
I told her we didn't but because I am clearly so very inexperienced, she was incredulous. I couldn't have possibly known what she was referring to, and how on earth could I have been even remotely knowledgeable of the merchandise I stocked every day? Because she didn't seem to be leaving, I asked her to repeat what she was looking for. She then, very haughtily, began going into great detail-explaining as one would to a small child. She went on and on, growing more frustrated whilst I inserted nods and a perplexed squinting of my eyes intermittently. Once she had finally ceased speaking, I, very calmly, answered "No. We still don't have those."
And then I relished in the pure aggravation that enveloped her. Was it evil? Perhaps. Am I a complete ***** for doing so? Most definitely. But it is so very satisfying.
It has all the benefits of ignoring someone without the sacrifice. If the purpose of this question was to garner ways to avoid confrontation, then no method is really tried-and-true. It really depends upon how pugnacious the second party is.
It's all to do with setting boundaries and finding which ways to communicate these boundaries for each sort of person.

My neighbor is being mean to me now. I have drove like 40 min around traps several times and I she didn't pay me for gas. The last 2 trips she did. She saying "I give you free piano lesson and I told her that we agree on that. So don't say like I'm not paying you. She suppose to have surgery tomorrow and I didn't want to take her because I have PT appointment. She making it sound like the surgery is more important then me going to PT. I told her I had to go because I need to strengthen my back, pelvic and hip. She saying the surgery was set up weeks ago. I told her well I need to go to PT. I also mention that I help her with a lot of things and when I ask for help she doesn't want to help me. I also mention that we should go our separate ways and not depend on each other for help. She wanted me to take her by saying I cancelling the last min. She called me kosher What ever the heck that mean. I told her it's take one to know one. and deleted her name in my phone book so she can't text me. I'm not sure if I'm doing the right thing or now I'm tired of her using me and want it to stop. Am I doing the right thing?

You are, indeed. She is trying to manipulate you.

Ignoring people will usually piss them off a lot more then you can imagine

Depends on the situation like others say, I wouldn't exactly ignore someone but I try to keep my response calm and not react.

Someone once advised imagining a protective glowing aura around oneself.