It’s Snark Week!

You know them… snarky people.
The masters of that combination of sarcastic and cynical that ends up being smugly critical and absolutely unbearable to human beings after a while. If the snarks are your friends or co-workers, you can handle it because they will eventually go away.
Or you will go away.
But what if you live with a snark?
Living With A Snark
What if every time you screw something up, you can count on your partner to make a snarky remark like “Well, aren’t you the genius?” That should actually be called a re-snark, don’t you think? Or if you ask your partner if they got the mail yet, they say “No, I was waiting for it to be delivered by drone. Of course, I got the mail.”
A Snark In Sheep’s Clothing

Being snarky and sarcastic, although possibly a sign of creativity and verbal intelligence, is also a sign of something else: aggression disguised as humor at your expense.
It is a way of communicating something to you indirectly, and in such a way that there is no way for you to respond without looking even more foolish. It is cowardly bullying if you will. But, there’s actually a way to deal with snarks that is both effective and kind of fun, so let’s go snark hunting!
Snark Hunting!
The best way to handle a snark is to “play dumb.” Of course, the snark will say “that’s not going to be that hard for you, now is it?” (Don’t you just hate snarks?) Another way to say that you’re going to play dumb is that you are going to force the snark to own up to what they are doing and communicate directly, instead of using indirect, sarcastic, snarky communication. You’re going to force the snark to shed his sarcastic wool and come out of hiding!
Examples, Please!
Snark: “Well, aren’t you the genius?!” You: “Are you saying that I am a genuis?” Snark: “Ummm…I thought it was obvious I wasn’t calling you a genius.” You: “Why would you call me a genius if you don’t think I am a genius?” Force the snark to say it: “I was calling you a genius to be mean. Because I didn’t think you were being very smart.” You: “Why would you do that?”
The Power of “Why?”
The most powerful question you can ask of a snark is “Why?” Mainly because the snark doesn’t ever think to ask why they are snarky. Or if it’s okay to be snarky to you.
But it’s high time he started.
Don’t Forget:
Now that you know how to handle snarks, you can have some fun with the mean, sarcastic, attempts to belittle remarks that come your way. Refuse to read between the lines and remember to ask the all-important “Why?” question and you’ll make the ocean a lot safer to swim in. Or your apartment or home to live in. Or your workplace to work in.
Snark-free Zones: Come on in. The conversation’s fine!
Dr. Anita Sanz, PhD, Psychologist
Graduation Dance
Graduating from a school, college, or program is supposed to be one of those “happy” events we celebrate, falling in…
Another Way to Manage Your Anxiety
The most commonly suggested way to manage anxiety is to calm the nervous system by using diaphragmatic breathing. By breathing…
Drug Free Pain Management
There are over 100 million Americans who suffer from chronic pain. If you have ever experienced severe pain that lasts…
Don’t Say You’re Sorry!
Say you are fighting with your significant other. I know. It’s not fun, but it happens. What do you think…
Self-Esteem Is YOUR Job
Self-Doubt and Low Self-Esteem Not sure if you’re all that sexy and attractive? Do you constantly need approval from others?…
How To Kick A Food Addiction
How do you get over an addiction to food? You’re Not Addicted to Food To be clear, you can’t have…
Do You Smell Smoke?
You probably know what it’s like when the smoke alarm goes off. The sound is so annoying, irritating, and ear-piercingly…
How To Avoid Getting Sick
Who Gets Sick? When Dr. Sheldon Cohen and his team at Carnegie Mellon University studied which participants became sick after having…
Feed a Human, Starve a Troll
If you spend much time online, especially on social networking sites, you’ll get a chance to meet a troll. Okay,…
Giving The Love That Heals
Happy Birth Day! Our daughter turned 12 this week, and I’ve been reflecting on what I have learned about parenting…
Keeping Grandma Healthy
Would You Know What To Do? You get the phone call that your 79-year-old grandmother has just been admitted to…
The Vow You Really Need
THE SECRET TO A LONG HAPPY RELATIONSHIP I’m going to share with you one of the greatest secrets to a…
Mental Health Hygiene
Cut Your Therapy Bill In Half! Psychotherapists can do so much to improve mental health. They can provide information, teach…
How to Catch More Zzzzz’s
Elusive Sleep Insomnia for many people has become a frustrating fact of life. 30% of the population suffers from it,…
- Well Being (59)
- Life Hacks (20)
- The Big Picture (9)
- Health (10)
- Relationships (13)
- Holidays (7)
- Therapy (43)
- Anxiety (11)
- Depression (16)
- On The Couch (16)
- Life Planning (5)