In general, disliking certain individuals is considered common and normal, especially if you can’t seem to find any common ground or compromises with them. After all, every person is different, and it’s impossible to please everyone you meet.
However, in the case of misanthropes, this dislike goes beyond simple dislike or disagreement with others.
For misanthropes, their dislike and distrust of humankind sometimes run so deep that it can affect not just their relationships with other people but also with themselves. As a result, this can negatively affect their lives.
How to stop being a misanthrope?
Overall, there are several ways you can stop yourself from being a misanthrope. For example, you can start by examining your thoughts and feelings and understanding why you have this deep dislike for others. You can also change your mindset by looking for the good in others, making friends with people you’re comfortable with, and taking care of yourself.
With that said, to learn more about how to stop being a misanthrope, continue reading this article.
How To Tell If You Are A Misanthrope
So, before discussing how to stop being a misanthrope, let’s discuss how can you tell if you are one.
In general, there are many signs that can indicate that you might be a misanthrope. Some of these signs include the following:
1. You hate nonsense from other people
As stated earlier, misanthropes have a dislike for humanity’s intellectual flaws. However, inevitably, we will sometimes encounter people that we don’t consider intelligent.
Moreover, these people often bring nothing but nonsense in life. In this case, if you feel contempt towards such people, it may mean that you are a misanthrope.
2. You dislike drama
If you find yourself avoiding drama or overdramatic people, it could mean that you are a misanthrope. In general, it is considered normal for people to hate drama. After all, who doesn’t want a more peaceful life?
However, for the real misanthropes, they will do everything they can to stay away from such a situation or the people causing it.
3. You love being alone
While not all people who love being alone are misanthropes, it can still be possible that those who love to spend more time alone are misanthropes. So, if you prefer to stay at home all the time rather than go to parties or other social events, it could be a sign that you’re experiencing misanthropy.
4. You avoid social media platforms
Misanthropes typically don’t like hanging around social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, and the like. Overall, most misanthropes don’t like the idea of social media because it is just another form of communication between other human beings.
5. You have a dislike for children
Despite their cute and adorable nature, not everyone loves children. While this may not necessarily mean you’re a misanthrope, a deep dislike for children may be a sign that you are a misanthrope.
Most misanthropes dislike children because of their easily agitated nature and their tendency to cry or throw a tantrum immediately.
6. You experience road rage
If you find yourself angry all the time while driving on the road, it can mean that you have misanthropy. Since misanthropes dislike other humans, sharing something with them, like the road, can be quite agitating for them.
7. Making friends is difficult for you
Misanthropes usually consider only a handful of people worthy of being their friends. So, suppose you find yourself having a hard time making friends because you don’t really like their attitude or personality. In that case, it might mean that you are a misanthrope.
8. You prefer staying single
Overall, it can be pretty rare for misanthropes to have a romantic partner in their lives. Because of their deep dislike and mistrust for others, they prefer staying single instead of dating since doing so might ruin their much-valued peace in life.
9. You often feel superior to others
Another sign that you might be a misanthrope is if you’re quick to judge others and deem them beneath your intellectual or moral capacity. These feelings of superiority typically stem from their deep dislike for others.
10. You enjoy watching other people
If you find watching other people more enjoyable instead of interacting with them, it can indicate that you’re a misanthrope.
How To Stop Being A Misanthrope?
Overall, being a misanthrope isn’t really a choice, so stopping yourself from being one isn’t as easy as it might seem. In fact, it can be one of the most difficult things to do nowadays, especially since many of the flaws mentioned above are relatively common these days.
However, while stopping yourself from being a misanthrope can be tricky, this doesn’t mean that it is entirely impossible. In fact, there are several ways that you can do to reduce your contempt for humanity.
With that said, here are just a few things you can try to do to help with your misanthropy:
1. Make friends you are comfortable with
As they say, “no man is an island,” and this truth can be said for every one of us. So, making friends that you can be comfortable with is essential and incredibly uplifting when you are down.
In fact, these friends might be the very ones that can you overcome your misanthropy problems. They might help you pull away from that contempt you have towards other human beings.
2. Find something to enjoy
Sometimes, misanthropy can be the result of us having the lack of desire to enjoy life. However, searching for something that you can enjoy is undoubtedly challenging. Still, it’s vital that you try to find something as this can help you overcome your misanthropy.
Whether it’s food, gadgets, vacations, or something else, finding something you can enjoy wholeheartedly might be what you need to reduce that dislike you have for humanity.
3. Look for things that can restore your faith in humanity
Go on few searches on the internet, and you might be able to find something that can help restore your lost faith in humanity. For example, there are many excellent articles that can show you just how good humans can be.
Aside from this, you can also check some memes online. In fact, there are plenty of them that show there is still goodness in the world. An excellent example of this would be the people willing to risk their lives for their animal companions.
For example, learn more about that instance wherein a guy decided to go back to his burning house to save his pet dog. Another story that can restore your faith in humanity is about a group of people doing their best to help the stranded shark return to the ocean.
4. Focus on good people
Remember, there are still plenty of people left in life that can be considered good and kind-hearted. In fact, there are still human beings you can consider heroes like police officers, firefighters, doctors, etc.
So, to overcome your misanthropy, you can focus on them, inspire yourself through them, and forget the bad people in life. After all, through their good deeds, you might be able to forget just how terrible some humans can be.
5. Let go of the people bringing you down
There are cases wherein we meet and have to deal with people who will only bring us down. In this case, letting go of such people and finding new ones can be an excellent start to letting go of your dislike and distrust for humanity.
Of course, some of the people who will bring us down can be those who are closest to us, such as our friends and family. However, even if they are the closest people to you, it might be best to distance yourself from them if they’re doing you more harm than good.
6. Engage in proper exercise, sleep, and diet
Sometimes, we experience misanthropy because we don’t take care of ourselves properly. So, engaging in daily exercise, eating a healthy diet, and getting the right amount of sleep can do wonders for our mindsets. After all, as the saying goes, “a sound mind in a sound body.”
7. Understand why you have these thoughts
Overall, being mindful of these thoughts and identifying the underlying reasons for your misanthropy can be helpful if you plan to overcome your misanthropy. After all, like with any problem, the answer often lies with the root of the problem.
Therefore, it’s imperative that you take a break and reflect on what’s potentially causing these feelings you have. For example, some factors like the environment you grew up in, your family, or previous trauma can impact how you feel towards others.
8. Seek the help of mental health professionals
For many of us, there are times when we need someone to talk to about our problems without judging us. In this case, the best way for you to do that is through counseling and therapy.
Of course, you may end up having to spend some money on this, but therapy and counseling with mental health professionals can be helpful for those who have misanthropic feelings.
Final Thoughts
Overall, being a misanthrope isn’t really bad, but it can negatively impact your mental health. While misanthropy isn’t considered a mental health condition, it can still be detrimental to your wellbeing.
After all, being a misanthrope can sometimes lead to depression and other psychological disorders. In this case, it’s best to practice the tips mentioned above to learn more about how to stop being a misanthrope.
