Anyone who’s spent time around kids knows exactly what a tantrum looks (and sounds) like. It’s loud, messy, and all part of being little. And the reasons don’t always make sense to the rest of us. Case in point: My friend’s two-year-old once had a complete meltdown because she moved a craft knife out of his reach. I mean, the audacity!
As we grow up, we learn to keep our composure (mostly) when things don’t go our way. So when a full-grown adult completely loses it over something seemingly insignificant, the results can range from hilarious to genuinely unsettling. The people in this thread have seen it happen firsthand, and they shared all the details about the ridiculously petty things that set these adults off.
#21
A kid put too many napkins on the table and her mother started crying and saying that she can never have a nice time because her kids ruin everything. It was an awkward dinner at Wendy's, lemme tell ya.
2points
Still, there’s a reason these moments stick with us. We expect adults to be able to hold it together in the checkout line, the office, or a restaurant. So when a grown-up has a full-blown meltdown over something most of us would simply shrug off, it’s pretty jarring. Sometimes it’s funny, sometimes it’s uncomfortable, and often it’s a bit of both.
#22
A car appeared behind us so he could no longer turn around, and that meant we were going to be late to a house viewing and that was all my fault...
Screamed at me to get my phone out to get maps up, then screamed at me because I was taking too long and grabbed my phone and threw it behind the seats.
Got to the house viewing and it was like it never happened.
I still stupidly bought a house with him. Left him eventually a couple of years later after many ridiculous melt downs.
The one that got me to leave was him losing it because I told him I wanted my phone contract to be in my own name when my current one finished. I was working full time and could afford it, and I was sick of him using it to confiscate my phone when he was angry at me. He lost it and pinned me up against the stove while I was in the middle of cooking. I left a month later.
Screamed at me to get my phone out to get maps up, then screamed at me because I was taking too long and grabbed my phone and threw it behind the seats.
Got to the house viewing and it was like it never happened.
I still stupidly bought a house with him. Left him eventually a couple of years later after many ridiculous melt downs.
The one that got me to leave was him losing it because I told him I wanted my phone contract to be in my own name when my current one finished. I was working full time and could afford it, and I was sick of him using it to confiscate my phone when he was angry at me. He lost it and pinned me up against the stove while I was in the middle of cooking. I left a month later.
2points
#23
He didn’t have his parking ticket to prove when he entered the parking lot. It wasn’t in the usual spot he put the ticket, so clearly he never got one. Instead of paying the max day or going back to park to see if he could find his ticket somewhere, he moved his car as close as possible to the parking gate without hitting his car (it probably scratched his hood a bit), and then just laid on his horn. Took like 20 minutes for campus security to respond.
The max day ticket charge would’ve been $10.
The max day ticket charge would’ve been $10.
2points
#24
I was the first person ever to tell my adult father he was being a jerk an acting like a child. Full blown tantrum and meltdown. He refused to speak to me for the rest of his life (which ended up being another 8 years). Things were never great between us before that - it's very tedious being the child of a raging narcissist - but this one thing turned off what little was left of his rational mind.
2points
But it can be pretty scary, too. So what should you do if you’re on the receiving end of someone’s meltdown or tantrum? Baratta and Raypole agree that safety comes first. If things start to turn aggressive, verbally or physically, get out of the way and give the person space. “They are temporarily out of control, and your safety comes first,” Baratta says, adding that trying to reason with someone mid-tantrum is a bad idea, since it rarely works and can make things worse.
#25
There were no more steak pies left at the cafe. I just don’t understand why he had to be so rude to the people working there.
Maybe they were having a bad day too and his ridiculous pie outburst made their day worse.
Maybe they were having a bad day too and his ridiculous pie outburst made their day worse.
2points
#26
The guy that threw a fit because Blizzard added multi-tagging across the whole game. Apparently he got a lot of enjoyment hanging out on low-level areas and just tagging mobs so players couldn't make quest progress. So yeah because they took away an avenue for him to be a total jerk he thought he was the victim.
2points
#27
Me when something says it will assemble in about 20 minutes with no tools required then you open up the package and tools are indeed required and 5 hours later I’m finally finishing it because the pictures of the assembly were not very good and it isn’t until after that I realize something is backwards and have to essentially take it all apart back to step 2 just to reassemble it again.
2points
Instead, wait until they’ve calmed down. Raypole suggests staying calm yourself, then asking what upset them and actually listening once the moment has passed. It’s also fine to set a clear boundary, like saying you’ll talk once they’ve cooled off. One thing to avoid, Raypole says, is calling the outburst a “tantrum” to the person’s face, because the label can feel demeaning.
#28
Roommate was not a handy guy, he struggled to put up curtain rods and was already pretty stressed. He didn't know curtains came individually wrapped sometimes. Flipped out when he opened the bag to find only one. In his rage, he called Martha Stewart an inside trading jerk.
Anyway, he was a pretty good roommate, so I'm not mad.
He had a flair for the dramatic but it was never an imposition. Hi Harri-San hope you're doing well:).
Anyway, he was a pretty good roommate, so I'm not mad.
He had a flair for the dramatic but it was never an imposition. Hi Harri-San hope you're doing well:).
2points
#29
A coupon for a free item and we ran out of it, due to an unprecedented response. This woman arrived as we were down to our last jars and had not left the registers for hours.
She stared at us, stiffened her entire body, screwed her eyes shut as she screamed, and stomped her feet. She then waved her arms, while screeching, "I WANTED IT!!!! We had contingency items to choose from, plus a raincheck and an apology item, ffs. Not good enough. She wanted it then, there and now. We finally calmed her fury and she left.
There was a short but widespread silence in the store as we dealt with her fallout and then everyone else geared up for their performance. Every single person knew we were out, announced "it was a sore subject" and demanded. Over and over until we closed...
She stared at us, stiffened her entire body, screwed her eyes shut as she screamed, and stomped her feet. She then waved her arms, while screeching, "I WANTED IT!!!! We had contingency items to choose from, plus a raincheck and an apology item, ffs. Not good enough. She wanted it then, there and now. We finally calmed her fury and she left.
There was a short but widespread silence in the store as we dealt with her fallout and then everyone else geared up for their performance. Every single person knew we were out, announced "it was a sore subject" and demanded. Over and over until we closed...
2points
#30
At a Starbucks in Lower Manhattan, a man misplaced his gloves. He threw an absolute tantrum. He accused other patrons of stealing them, demanding that they empty their bags and pockets to prove their innocence. He screamed at the baristas to lock the doors until his gloves were found. The woman he was with just sat at their table and rolled her eyes, as if she had seen this a million time before.
After about five minutes of him stalking around, yelling his head off, he stuck his hands in his coat pockets … and pulled out his gloves.
The man’s name is Jesse Waters.
After about five minutes of him stalking around, yelling his head off, he stuck his hands in his coat pockets … and pulled out his gloves.
The man’s name is Jesse Waters.
2points
If the outbursts keep happening, it may be worth looking at the bigger picture. Baratta suggests checking whether giving in to someone’s demands just to end the scene is reinforcing the behavior, and notes that a therapist can help. Raypole also recommends encouraging professional support when outbursts are frequent.
#31
My work (travel industry) used to distribute information to customers about their trip they'd purchased in a (cheap) felt pouch that came in the mail.
Around covid, they switched to your basic recycled reinforced cardboard esque product.
A lady had a full blown meltdown right when we made the switch because her friends had gotten the cheap felt and shed gotten the cardboard. Full screaming, crying, because "what will everyone think?" Shrieking "get in a drawer and get me a felt one!"
Around covid, they switched to your basic recycled reinforced cardboard esque product.
A lady had a full blown meltdown right when we made the switch because her friends had gotten the cheap felt and shed gotten the cardboard. Full screaming, crying, because "what will everyone think?" Shrieking "get in a drawer and get me a felt one!"
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2points
#32
He disagreed whose turn it was next to shuffle cards.
So there were four of us at the table: my friend, her husband, my husband, me. That's going clockwise around. After each round of a card game we would shuffle to the left who the dealer was and who started next.
Well, my friend and I couldn't shuffle as well and my husband is really good at shuffling, so he was shuffling for the three of us during our turns.
Somehow, her husband lost track of that and so us other three knew whose turn it was next, and it became friend's husbands turn to shuffle. He says no it should be mine because [my husband] has just shuffled. I say he actually just shuffled for [my friend]. Argument went back and forth for honestly only a short while, my husband even offered to shuffle for him as well, but that didn't settle him down. Friends husband immediately flew off the handle freaking out, yelling, and stomped off. Literally didn't see him for the rest of the night.
All because he didn't think it was his turn to shuffle.
So there were four of us at the table: my friend, her husband, my husband, me. That's going clockwise around. After each round of a card game we would shuffle to the left who the dealer was and who started next.
Well, my friend and I couldn't shuffle as well and my husband is really good at shuffling, so he was shuffling for the three of us during our turns.
Somehow, her husband lost track of that and so us other three knew whose turn it was next, and it became friend's husbands turn to shuffle. He says no it should be mine because [my husband] has just shuffled. I say he actually just shuffled for [my friend]. Argument went back and forth for honestly only a short while, my husband even offered to shuffle for him as well, but that didn't settle him down. Friends husband immediately flew off the handle freaking out, yelling, and stomped off. Literally didn't see him for the rest of the night.
All because he didn't think it was his turn to shuffle.
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2points
#33
Someone put a small, empty, box on top of the trash can in my parent's kitchen one afternoon.
My dad had a full-blown meltdown over it and only shut up when I (in my early 20's at the time) questioned him about whether he thought his reaction was justified when he could have just moved the box off the trash can and gone about his day rather than stomping around the house yelling about it and making everyone uncomfortable.
My dad had a full-blown meltdown over it and only shut up when I (in my early 20's at the time) questioned him about whether he thought his reaction was justified when he could have just moved the box off the trash can and gone about his day rather than stomping around the house yelling about it and making everyone uncomfortable.
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2points
That said, not every outburst calls for a therapist. We’re all human, and even the most level-headed among us have had a moment we’d rather forget. But there’s a difference between having a bad day and holding a grudge against a free bagel for an entire vacation.
#34
I’ve worked in a restaurant (FOH and BOH) for 35 years. I’ve seen a person have a mental breakdown over the temperature of the ketchup served.
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2points
#35
I was inside a McDonald's eating and a lady in the drive thru threw a milkshake back through the window at the person who hands out orders. Apparently they got her order wrong and she was pissed enough about it she whipped back around into the drive thru. Then she proceeded to throw a fit which resulted in a person that had nothing to do with her order preparation getting absolutely baptized by strawberry milkshake.
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2points
#36
My mom threw a full tantrum and grounded me for the only time in my life, because I threw away her McDonald's cup and she wasn't finished with it. I hadn't thrown mine away yet, so I asked her if she wanted it. She got offended.
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2points
#37
Little bit of gravy dripped off the edge of my dad's plate, went into a rant about "flat plates."
Dad had another rant about the holes of the pepper shaker were too small.
Meltdown over turning the clock back, every year.
He never puts his tools back, meltdown when he can't find what he wants or finds it in the yard.
Dad had another rant about the holes of the pepper shaker were too small.
Meltdown over turning the clock back, every year.
He never puts his tools back, meltdown when he can't find what he wants or finds it in the yard.
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2points
#38
My ex had one in a walmart once because he wanted an Nintendo Wii and we didn't have the money for food nevermind gaming consoles. He started yelling to anyone that was in earshot that he never gets anything he wants and is always the one to sacrifice everything for everyone else. I refused to touch that wii for 8 years.
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2points
#39
I worked retail and a woman full on ugly cried because the shower gel she wanted wasn't on sale.
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2points
#40
I worked as a bartender for 15 years! At one of my last bars, we had a massive turnout for a big rapper coming into town. The bar was completely packed, and we were telling anyone who ordered food, "once you get your food, please move to a table, as the bartop is STRICTLY for drinks only!" (There was literally no room to even put a plate).
Chick comes up and orders a few drinks and wings. I put in her order, give her the drinks, explain the policy, and we're good. She comes up a bit later to grab her food, asks for a to-go box, dumps it all in there, then leaves it on the bartop. I try to ignore it for a couple minutes (people are silly, they forget stuff while going to the bathroom or chatting to a friend) and I'm like okay, whatever. Right before the rapper gets on stage, we get a massive rush of people trying to get drinks before the show starts. This is why we instated the policy of food at tables only, because the bartops are only a couple feet wide and can only hold so many elbows.
Her food got lost in the elbows. 35 minutes later after boxing up her own food and leaving it on the bar with strangers, this woman storms back up to the bar in the middle of the show screaming, "where are my WINGS??!! I LEFT THEM RIGHT HERE!" I was in the process of making 12 lemon drops, and that jerk tried to yank the bottles from my hand so I would pay attention to her.
I am half yelling over the music, she's SCREAMING back at me, her friends are surrounding her like, "what's going on?" And this absolute jerk is screaming and pointing at m. Her friends also ganged up on me. In the midst of the chaos, I'm slightly crying (because who expects to be berated so abhorrently in such a random situation?) and calling security over and over because these people are quite literally ruining the show (security never showed, as they were ALL on a smoke break?). This jerk ultimately tried to come behind the bar, lunge across, and even attempted to push her drunk friend across the bar. The show had finally ended, she's still giving me threats, and then all of a sudden remembers her husband is a lawyer? Then she starts ripping into me about that, how she's going to sue the place, how she's going to sue me, and ruin my life.
All over chicken wings and her unwillingness to accept responsibility over said wings.
Chick comes up and orders a few drinks and wings. I put in her order, give her the drinks, explain the policy, and we're good. She comes up a bit later to grab her food, asks for a to-go box, dumps it all in there, then leaves it on the bartop. I try to ignore it for a couple minutes (people are silly, they forget stuff while going to the bathroom or chatting to a friend) and I'm like okay, whatever. Right before the rapper gets on stage, we get a massive rush of people trying to get drinks before the show starts. This is why we instated the policy of food at tables only, because the bartops are only a couple feet wide and can only hold so many elbows.
Her food got lost in the elbows. 35 minutes later after boxing up her own food and leaving it on the bar with strangers, this woman storms back up to the bar in the middle of the show screaming, "where are my WINGS??!! I LEFT THEM RIGHT HERE!" I was in the process of making 12 lemon drops, and that jerk tried to yank the bottles from my hand so I would pay attention to her.
I am half yelling over the music, she's SCREAMING back at me, her friends are surrounding her like, "what's going on?" And this absolute jerk is screaming and pointing at m. Her friends also ganged up on me. In the midst of the chaos, I'm slightly crying (because who expects to be berated so abhorrently in such a random situation?) and calling security over and over because these people are quite literally ruining the show (security never showed, as they were ALL on a smoke break?). This jerk ultimately tried to come behind the bar, lunge across, and even attempted to push her drunk friend across the bar. The show had finally ended, she's still giving me threats, and then all of a sudden remembers her husband is a lawyer? Then she starts ripping into me about that, how she's going to sue the place, how she's going to sue me, and ruin my life.
All over chicken wings and her unwillingness to accept responsibility over said wings.
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2points
