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1. Puppy Kickers
The term sounds brutal, but most of us can understand it—because most of us have been perpetrators ourselves. Picture: The cat's sick, your husband's away, you didn't sleep all night, and as you rush to get your 6-year-old ready for school, she tries to tell you something about her imaginary koala using whispered pig Latin, in which she is not remotely fluent. After five minutes of unintelligible babble, you hear yourself shout, "For God's sake, talk like a normal person!" You've just emotionally mugged your own offspring. It feels, as Anne Lamott writes, like bitch-slapping ET.

I'm not saying puppy kicking is okay because it's common. But seeing it from the mugger's perspective helps you mount an effective defense when you're the kickee.

Emo-Do Defense: Start by recognizing that the mugging isn't about you; you just happened to be standing there, wagging your tail, when someone went temporarily insane. Try puppyish responses: Trot off and find another friend, or (if the mugger is a loved one) offer kindness. Say, "You seem really stressed. Can I help?" This can actually turn puppy kicking into gratitude.

2. Exploding Doormats
Cora's assistant, Angie, had been glum all day. Trying to lighten the mood, Cora said, "You should leave early—there's traffic."

"Leave early?" Angie shouted. "That would mean I have to do everything in even less time!" Then she stormed out, slamming the door behind her.

Angie is an exploding doormat. She doesn't stand up for herself until her emotions reach a critical limit—at which point she goes postal with virtually no provocation. Exploding doormats are more harmful than puppy kickers because they harbor festering hostility toward their targets.

Emo-Do Defense: Cora's attempt to soothe Angie's anger by being extra nice was manipulative, so it made things worse. The next day, she switched to open, frank discussion, which is all that's necessary to keep doormats from detonating. "You seem so angry," Cora said. "What's really on your mind?" When Angie admitted she felt overworked, Cora realized she'd been taking the young woman's quiet diligence for granted. Together they came up with ways for Angie to let Cora know her limits. Conflict solved.

3. Deflators
When Kimberly told her mother she'd been promoted, the older woman sighed. "Well," she said, "you're going to have to work harder to prove you're worth it." Kimberly's mother is a deflator, a person who sees virtue in pessimism. With one well-placed jab, she can let the air out of any good time, and make a bad time feel even worse.

Emo-Do Defense: Deflators almost always have a history of feeling crushed. As such, they're simply upholding tradition. Unlike puppy kickers or exploding doormats, they rarely respond well to discussion, so don't bother. Instead, simply and cheerfully reject their pessimism. To the prediction that she'd have to work harder, Kimberly calmly responded, "No, I won't." Her mother had no choice but to slouch off with her dagger.

4. Secret Keepers

Remember Francine, whose husband blew up over ordinary behavior? She later learned that he was having not one but several online affairs. No wonder he freaked when she tried to check his messages; cheaters, addicts, and liars attack people who threaten to stumble onto their misdeeds. This kind of mugging feels crazy and surreal. If you're questioning your sanity after a surprise argument, you may be dealing with a secret keeper.

Emo-Do Defense: A secret keeper's mugging leaves you with an icky sense that something's wrong. Don't jump to conclusions, but don't ignore your instincts. (An emo-do master never keeps secrets from herself—for example, by going into denial.) Hold firm to your reality. Ask questions. If more violent attacks ensue, revise your trust levels and watch for more evidence.

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