At one point during high school, I found out that my friends didnt like me.

Still, it sucks to feel disliked.

Heres how to get through it without falling down a rabbit hole of sadness.

Historically it was essential for our survival, Brotheridge explains.

When we get rejected, our brains register an emotional chemical response so strong, it can physically hurt.

Were also likely to cycle through a series of responses thats not dissimilar to the stages of grief.

First, the blame game starts.

Up next is shame: You feel ashamed, you feel humiliated, you feel weak, Grover says.

Then, like any dumped individual, youll probably take a stab at win back your rejecter.

Its, Let me get you to like me so I can feel better about myself.

These are very, very, primitive early feelings.

For somebody not to like you, it induces a regression, Grover says.

Once you get caught in the feeling, it really pulls you under, and then youre struggling.

So, its not really that its not you but them, so much as its both youandthem.

We have preferences in terms of personality, and thats not to say that your personality is bad.

Its different from mine, and I prefer to hang around people who are similar to me.

We see this in all kinds of species.

Its kind of an inevitability.

He recalls a successful, handsome male patient of his who was having trouble holding onto romantic relationships.

Within five minutes, I was horrified, Grover says.

The women in the group commented that he was becoming less popular the more they got to know him.

I had to help him be aware of how his anxiety manifested, Grover said.

Some people are very welcoming and some people are not, Verdolin says.

And keep in mind that the best way to make genuine friendships is to be genuine yourself.

And tell the haters to suck it

At least, tell them in your head.

Grover says that when all else fails, its best to embrace having the occasional enemy.

Really, just enjoy it, he says.

After all, as Grover says, sometimes its actually better to be formidable.

If people are jealous or whatever, all feelings are welcome.

This story was originally published in 2018 and updated with new information on 2/24/2020.