What should I do if I am infected by someone else's negative emotions

When infected by negative emotions from others, it can be alleviated by maintaining psychological boundaries, shifting attention, moderate empathy, positive communication, and self-regulation of emotions. Negative emotional contagion is usually caused by factors such as excessive empathy, insufficient psychological defense, environmental stress, personality traits, and social interaction patterns.

1. Maintain psychological boundaries

Clearly define the boundaries between one's own emotions and those of others, and avoid getting overly involved in the emotional vortex of others. You can remind yourself through psychological suggestion that 'this is the other person's emotion, I don't need to take responsibility' to reduce emotional involvement. Practice observing emotions rather than absorbing them, such as describing current feelings from a third person perspective.

2. Shifting Attention

Actively switching environments or activity content can effectively block emotional contagion. Immediately leave the source of negative emotions and take deep breaths, take a short walk, or focus on tasks that require attention. Visually, static scenery can be observed, while auditory music can be played to reconstruct emotional balance through sensory transfer.

3. Moderate Empathy

adjusts excessive empathy to conscious limited empathy and sets listening time limits. Using cognitive empathy instead of emotional empathy, understanding the other person's situation but not immersing themselves in their emotions. After finishing, practice mindfulness to clear any emotional residue, as if imagining negative emotions drifting away from the body like clouds.

4. Actively communicate

Use nonviolent communication to express your feelings, such as "I noticed that you are feeling down now, I need some space to digest". Suggest the other party to work together to solve the problem instead of continuously venting, and steer the conversation towards specific action plans. Clearly express emotional tolerance limits when necessary.

5. Self emotion regulation

Identify susceptible scenarios through emotional diaries and establish personalized coping strategies. Regular practice of progressive muscle relaxation or meditation enhances emotional immunity. Cultivate a reserve of positive emotional experiences, such as recalling pleasant events to offset negative emotional impacts.

Long term exposure to negative emotions requires the establishment of regular psychological protective habits, including daily alone time, engagement in hobbies and interests, and maintenance of social support systems. Highly sensitive individuals can receive professional psychological training to enhance their emotional regulation abilities. If they continue to experience physical and mental reactions such as insomnia and anxiety, it is recommended to seek psychological counseling. Pay attention to maintaining a regular daily routine and a balanced diet. Vitamin B and magnesium elements help stabilize nervous system function.