Take A Deep, Calming Breath

As soon as you receive an insult, an automatic reaction takes place. The first response is to fire back to defend yourself. Even though it is a natural response, the "SUPER" way may require a different response. 

Instead of letting the immediate emotions to take over, pause for a moment and just breath deeply to calm yourself down first.

Keep cool to stay grounded so that you can say exactly what you want to say without blurting the first thing that comes to mind. Speak prematurely and you may just make the situation 100 times worse. 

You can still be upset and angry, but you can manage your emotions to react more effectively.

Don’t Insult Them Back

The next trap to avoid is snapping back with an insult of your own. It's hard not to do, but don't insult them back. Take the more mature approach. 

Insulting them back only adds fuel to the fire. It just leads to more escalation of an already bad situation. 

Plus, don't give them the satisfaction of "pushing your buttons". When they don't get the response their look for, you have thrown cold water on their fire. 

There are other positive actions you can take also. 

Walk Away Or Just Avoid Them If Possible

The next step you can take is to spend as little time as you can around the offender. Avoiding them can, at least, minimize the insults. 

If possible come up with a way to reduce the time you spend with them, or avoid them completely. 

However, don't feel like you have to make special sacrifices to avoid them. Going a little out of your ways is not bad, but if you have to go too far out of your way, try another approach. 

Use Humor Against Playful Teasing

If you feel so inclined, and the person isn't the mean-spirited type, try to make some humor out of their insult. Humor can help diffuse the situation, and disarm them. 

If you counter their attach with humor, you will find out if they were insulting you to be playful, or if they were on the attack. If they are in attack mode, don't join in. 

You best move is to take it to them directly.

Call Them Out Directly

Some people will never appreciate the gentle approach. For them the best move may be to call them out directly. 

Use a firm, yet calm tone of voice, but make it clear that you are not pleased. Be serious without showing anger, fearfulness, or submissiveness. 

Explain in direct language why you are not okay with their comment. Then ask them to "please stop it". 

Don't listen to any of their rationalizations about why they think they are right. There is no excuse for harmful behavior.

Never Blame Yourself

By all means, do not ever blame yourself. Insulting someone else is the other person's fault hands down. Remember, you have done nothing to deserve any unkind treatment. 

Some people seem to specialize on trying to make others feel bad about themselves. They think that makes them feel powerful, even though it is a sure sign of their insecurity.

Regardless of their problem, you will gain even more confidence in yourself when you put the blame where it really belongs. 

Consider The Person’s Motivation

To formulate the correct response, it can be helpful to understand the other person's motive. Whether a person is jealous of you, or thinks they are being funny, or are just being hurtful, putting an end to it is the main goal. 

Knowing their motive may help you determine how effective your response will be. The important thing is to know if they are intentionally trying to hurt you. 

Sometimes people trying to be funny may not realize their harm, so they may need to be told directly. Others may need to be avoided completely.  

Plan Your Response To Repeating Offenders

Since people are creatures of habit. If you see a pattern of continued hurtful insults, plan your approach to the next one that will surely happen. 

Thinking through ways to respond can be done along or with a trusted friend who is willing to do some role playing. Come up with multiple responses so that you are ready for anything. 

Planning boosts your confidence and helps you stay composed and focused. 

Talk With The Person

Gage whether or not the person is open for some objective conversation. The key word being objective. If that is the case, sit down and talk it through. There are two sides to every story, and it maybe be beneficial to get a better understanding on both ends. 

Be direct in your communications about how the insults are not going to be tolerated. Continuing will cause severe damage to the relationship. 

Hopefully there can be some positive solutions to the problem. At least, you'll have done everything to voice your concerns and set your boundaries. 

Talk To Someone You Can Trust

Insulting can quickly turn into bullying. Therefore, it may be a good idea to consult with someone you trust to analyze to determine if the insults have crossed the line. 

Your safety, both physically and mentally, are to be protected at all costs. Before things get out of hand, report the incident to the appropriate person that can help you. 

Whether you are in school, at work, or at home, there is always an authority you can report to for some assistance.  

Parents, teachers, supervisors, and law enforcement are just a few examples. Hopefully, following these tips will prevent future insults.