I was prompted to write this post after a recent incident in which a 17-year-old boy killed two young girls, one of whom had rejected him. I want to examine why rejection can sometimes lead to aggressive behavior.
Rejection doesn’t just hurt it can enrage. When someone feels excluded or humiliated, their brain processes it like physical pain. This emotional sting can threaten self-esteem and trigger frustration.
For some, especially those with high rejection sensitivity, the response isn’t withdrawal it’s retaliation.
The Multimotive Model explained by psychology:
- Emotional pain: Rejection activates brain regions linked to physical pain.
- Threat to self-esteem: Feeling devalued can provoke retaliation.
- Frustration: Blocked social goals lead to anger.
- Impulsivity: Some react aggressively when overwhelmed.
- Multimotive Model: Rejection may trigger prosocial, asocial, or antisocial responses.
To conclude, rejection can lead to connection-seeking, withdrawal, or aggression. The more personal or public the rejection, the more likely it is to spark anger.
The Sacred Shift | Intuitive Guidance With Suzette Lindo 