people projecting and the target internalizing. it can leave you in quite a confused and agitated state, like an emotional time bomb. others pick up on this and if they are mean-spirited they will try to trigger you, sometimes in very inappropriate places. the best thing to do is learn self-defense, practice self-awareness and stop things before they escalate. be firm with your boundaries, don't take things personally and respect yourself enough to know when to fight and when to walk away. sometimes it's best not to go down to their level. but if they keep bothering you- don't hold back.