How to Handle Jealousy

Jealousy is an emotion that most people have felt at some time in their life. Many times children will be jealous of other children's toys or the attention they receive. The child may act out or behave aggressively toward the other child. This is the time to teach children that jealousy is wrong. Teaching children how to deal with jealousy as early as possible can prevent serious emotional problems later in life.

However, as many of us know, jealousy still manages to appear way too often. It may come in the form of a jealous co-worker who feels you are being favored over her. Or it may present itself in the form of a boyfriend or girlfriend who becomes obsessed with the idea that you can't be trusted.

So how do you handle these types of jealousy? Is there a simple solution? The answer to that question is both yes and no.

While a jealous co-worker may make your life harder for a while, normally the jealousy will pass with time and patience. But if the co-worker starts to make snide remarks or starts rumors, it is time to have a talk with your boss or supervisor. Be honest and tell the truth. Most times once a superior is involved, the jealous behavior will end.

If the jealousy is from a boyfriend or girlfriend, handling jealousy can be as simple as making it clear that you will not tolerate it. Don't go along with it in the beginning thinking it is romantic or sweet that your partner displays jealousy. It isn't and you are just fueling the emotion by allowing it. Jealousy tends to get worse if not stopped in the beginning.

Of course, it is essential that you be aware of your behavior. Don't give your partner reasons to be jealous. Sometimes people will deliberately provoke jealousy in an attempt to see how much their partner cares. Jealousy is not the way to find this out.

Sometimes, though, telling someone that you will not tolerate jealousy just doesn't work. In those cases, you have to decide if the problem can be worked out with time and patience. Unfortunately, in most cases, it can't.

That is the time to get out of the relationship. Don't look back. Just end it. That is the only way to handle an obsessive and jealous situation.