Recently I have spoken about addiction and how to overcome it. When people think about addiction, they often automatically think about substance abuse such as drugs and alcohol, maybe even junk food. However, something that many people find addictive in its many forms is gossip. Whether it be gossip about celebrities that have disgraced themselves and negatively influenced their followers, workplace scandals, or family feuds, gossip is unfortunately a popular negative form of behaviour.
Gossiping is not good for the person that is being gossiped about, but it is actually even worse for the person who is doing the gossiping. So, the negative habit is causing a lot of unnecessary trouble for all involved. Gossipers are always paranoid about people gossiping about them, and when they are not spending their time gossiping about others, they are trying to find out what people are saying about them. It causes them a lot of stress and anxiety.
There are many reasons why we gossip about people, like finding ways of relieving boredom, getting revenge on someone that has given you a hard time, or to make you look superior, just to name a few. The reasons for engaging in this behaviour is unfortunately endless but let’s look into a great way of coping with gossip and it is not just ignoring it.
According to research a good coping strategy to cope with being the victim of gossiping is to self-monitor. This is developing the skills to moderate your image to suit the situation that you are in. You can do this by observing your peers to assess how you need to behave, making remarks at social events to garner your peer’s approval, or even by changing your opinions to win over others. Take some time to step back and read the room. Work with your peers in harmony, and without becoming invisible, blend in.
Social monitors are also known as the befitting term ‘Social Chameleons’. Just as the name suggests they are well suited to their ecosystem, do well in their environment and are also well-protected from predators.
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Dealing With Negative Workplace Gossip: From the Perspective of Face
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8209327/
What Is Self-Monitoring?
https://www.verywellmind.com/what-is-self-monitoring-5179838
