Psychology Today | 06.05.2026 23:59
You felt you were just trying to make your point when, suddenly, the other person accused you of getting defensive, which turned into an argument about defensiveness itself. From there, it quickly spiraled—arguing over whose reality is right, fueled by rising emotional energy that, in the end, leaves you both emotionally wounded. It doesn’t have to be that way. Here’s what happens in our brains, the cycle, and how to stop it.
