12 Behaviors That Indicate Someone Has An Issue With You

Someone has beef with you if they do these things.

A woman with blonde hair dressed in a white T-shirt and jeans is gesturing and appears to be expressing frustration or arguing with another person. The second person, who has curly hair and is wearing a striped shirt, has their back to the camera. They are in a kitchen.

You can’t please all the people all the time. Sometimes, you’re going to annoy someone, hurt someone, or rub someone the wrong way. But it might not be immediately obvious when this happens. Some people are good at hiding their true feelings toward you. Luckily, there are some underlying behaviors that are harder to conceal—behaviors that reveal someone has a problem with you.

1. They avoid you.

Two women are in an outdoor setting with trees in the background. One woman in a red top stands in the background with arms raised, while the woman in the foreground, wearing a pink off-shoulder top, appears upset or uncomfortable, with her hand near her face.

A person who has an issue with you isn’t going to want to be around you. Your presence may cause them to be upset or angry. Therefore, they choose to avoid you altogether so they don’t have to deal with negative emotions or risk starting a fight with you.

2. They display negative body language.

A woman with her arms crossed stands in a modern kitchen, looking directly at the camera with a serious expression. In the background, a man with a beard looks out of a large window, leaning on the windowsill. Both are wearing white t-shirts and jeans.

Certain types of body language carry negative connotations. Someone who has an issue with you may not make eye contact, they may turn away when they speak, or they may cross their arms in a defensive way. Their tone of voice may also seem pressured or sharp.

3. They only give short responses.

Two young women are sitting at a wooden picnic table outside in a wooded area. One woman with long hair and a pink top is talking, while the other with blonde hair and a blue scarf is listening attentively. Sunlight filters through the trees, casting a warm glow.

An angry or upset person may not want to have a conversation with the source of their frustration. If they are forced to interact, they will typically keep the conversation as brief as possible. Their answers will often be short and direct with the goal to end the conversation quickly.

4. They display passive-aggressive behavior.

A group of five young adults is sitting on a park bench, engaged in conversation. They are casually dressed, and the background shows trees, grass, and a pathway. The individuals appear animated, with one gesturing while others listen and respond.

People don’t always take the direct approach when they have a problem with someone. Instead, they do things like make snide comments, express sarcasm, or make subtle digs at you to demonstrate their displeasure.

5. They exclude you from events.

A woman with a sad expression sits alone in the foreground of a café, looking down. In the background, three people sit together at a table, with two of them looking in her direction. The scene suggests a sense of isolation and contemplation.

You may not get invites to social events or meetings if they are arranged by the person who has taken issue with you. If you’re in a setting for socializing, you may find yourself ignored or excluded from conversation. This is another passive-aggressive behavior because they are choosing to act against you without being direct in their intentions.

6. They demonstrate disinterest in you.

Three women stand around a table with drinks, engaged in animated conversation. One woman in pink looks surprised, the woman in the middle gestures with hands open, and the third woman in blue smiles while gesturing with her fingers. A hand holding a beer is in the foreground.

You may find yourself in a setting where you need to work alongside this person. It could be something like a group or work project. In that context, they may act uninterested or not really listen to you when you’re talking. They may not bother commenting on ideas or just find fault in what you do.

7. They frequently interrupt you.

Two young women are sitting on a couch in a living room. One woman with long brown hair, wearing a grey T-shirt, is talking animatedly. The other woman, also with long brown hair and wearing a blue shirt, looks surprised while holding a TV remote. A bookshelf is in the background.

Because they are mad at you, they may want to make you mad, too. No one likes being interrupted or talked over in a conversation, so it’s a perfect way to try to get under someone’s skin. After all, you will probably just think they are being rude and not say anything.

8. They gossip about you.

A woman looks troubled and sad while sitting at a table. In the foreground, two people are whispering to each other. The scene suggests the woman may be feeling left out or gossiped about by the others. The setting appears to be an office or meeting room.

Gossip is a way to indirectly make your life harder. The issue is that most people either aren’t going to care enough or enjoy gossip. Instead of approaching you for the truth, they’ll either ignore it or jump in. A malicious person who has a problem with you can weaponize that to spread all kinds of lies about you.

9. They undermine you in group settings.

Four individuals are seated around a conference table while one person, gesturing with their hands, appears to be leading the discussion. Laptops, documents, and glasses of water are on the table. A large window in the background reveals a cityscape outside.

Undermining is an insidious way for someone to try to get back at you when they don’t want to confront you. Essentially, they will look for every possible flaw in what you present to try to find a reason why it won’t work. They will do everything they can to make you look bad to the group.

10. They weaponize criticism against you.

A man in a gray suit and glasses is sitting at a desk, gesturing with his hands and intently listening to a woman holding a document. The woman, with long blonde hair, is turned slightly away from the camera. The meeting appears to be in a modern office.

Criticism can be a valuable tool for improvement. However, that’s not what this person is interested in. Instead, they will give unwarranted or excessively harsh criticism of your work or actions just to make you feel bad, or to subtly encourage you to give up.

11. They blame you for any issue they can.

A group of five people in formal attire are in a meeting room. One man stands and points at a seated man while talking. The seated man appears to be responding. Three others listen, with one looking stressed and another taking notes. A flip chart is in the background.

They cast frequent blame on you whether or not you’re responsible, all to make your life miserable. This has the added benefit of causing other people to doubt or form negative opinions about you. It may also tie you up into work that isn’t yours, causing you more stress and discomfort.

12. They are openly hostile to you.

Two men are facing each other with their foreheads touching and angry expressions on their faces. The man on the left has blonde hair and fair skin, while the man on the right has dark skin and a shaved head. They appear to be in a heated confrontation outdoors.

Raised voices, confrontational language, and harsh tones may be a rather blatant sign that someone has a serious issue with you. Most people aren’t going to yell at you or be rude to you for no reason. The ones that do typically have some kind of issue going on, and their issue may be with you.