When you feel like you’re on the outside looking in, sometimes your mind can go to dark places. Social exclusion hurts, but there are a few things you can do to manage your emotions and soften the sting.
#1 Avoid catastrophizing
The psychological phenomenon of catastrophizing explains why people often fabricate situations in their heads that exaggerate the negative parts of a painful experience like rejection.
#2 Do a social media cleanse
If you can discipline yourself to delete a few apps or turn off your phone for a while, you may find that being present in your current reality can bring you more fulfillment than scrolling through other people’s lives.
#3 Distract yourself with new interests
Distracting yourself can be one of the simplest ways to deal with feeling left out. Instead of ruminating about what you did wrong or if your friends still like you, you can reframe the experience into something positive.
#4 Feel your emotions, don’t suppress them
If your cousin doesn’t include you in her wedding party or your friends host a get-together without you, it’s OK to be upset about it. It’s no surprise that being excluded from social situations can lead to feelings of rejection as psychologically difficult as physical pain. Frankly, it sucks.