It’s one thing to deal with an entitled person while in line at a coffee shop. It’s a whole new headache to be cohabitating with one and making your life miserable each passing day.
For this man, his female roommate has been the bane of his existence. Things reached their boiling point when the woman demanded that he leave their shared apartment for an entire weekend so she could save face with her family.
Having an entitled roommate easily makes for a miserable living experience
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A man had this problem with his female roommate, who demanded that he leave their shared apartment for a weekend
Image credits: Guillaume Issaly (not the actual photo)
He also revealed that his problem with Sara had been going on for a while already
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Controlling behavior can be a defense mechanism against perceived instability
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It can be both baffling and annoying to deal with someone who tries to control another full-grown adult's actions. But according to licensed clinical psychologist Dr. Cassidy Blair, it’s likely a defensive response.
“These stiff behaviours often come out as a defence mechanism against perceived instability. It is not uncommon for these individuals to associate their personal safety with absolutely controlling their physical environment,” she told Bored Panda.
Dr. Blair adds that such projections of power may give the entitled roommate an impression of security. It then becomes difficult for them to distinguish their individual needs from those of other household members.
What makes the situation more vexing for the author is that his roommate appears to believe her behavior was acceptable and justified. Dr. Blair explains that entitled individuals cannot cultivate cognitive empathy.
And through that “cognitive gap,” the person may act from a “position of superiority” or believe their needs take precedence over the group’s collective interests.
Emotional regulation is the key to dealing with an entitled roommate
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What makes having an entitled roommate challenging is the need to interact with them regularly, especially regarding shared obligations. Some may resort to remaining silent and bottling up their emotions, which Dr. Blair says only worsens the situation by elevating cortisol levels.
Instead, she advises practicing emotional regulation to keep the balance.
“By separating your emotional response from immediate living conditions, you keep the behaviors of the roommate from controlling your mood,” Dr. Blair stated.
However, the author had been dealing with repeated incidents involving Sara, which are no longer forgivable. He may need to find a way to distance himself, or even move out, for the sake of his inner peace.
The author provided more information in the comments
Many people sided with him
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The author provided his first update
As it turned out, things took a more dramatic turn
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His final update revealed how he planned to take some of the stuff he bought for the apartment with him
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People shared their reactions to the new developments
