I think I'm going to crash

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I made another topic about how some of my neighbors are ugly rude trailer trash but tonight it just now came to a head. I was coming back from church and my neighbor (single mom) starts throwing rude comments my way. I ignore her and head for my door. Her kid runs past and says hi. I don't respond to him either. Next thing I know she's right there yelling at me and cussing at me. I finally cave and yell back at her. She reminds me that she "saved my dog's life" last year (from her own dog but she didn't feel fit to mention that) and apparently that means I owe it to her to let her do whatever she wants whenever she wants. Then she cusses at me some more. I called the landlord but I know better than to think that'll do anything.

I hate confrontation. I'm all hyped up and mad right now but I know when that wears off I'm going to have a long period of depression. I don't want this. Does anybody know how to not have an emotional crash after things like this?

Well, firstly I want to commend you. You sound like you're way more polite of a person than I might be in such a situation. Am not sure whether this nasty lady is older or younger than you, but you definitely seem like the more mature person.

As for how not to have an emotional crash?

Well, it is unpleasant when you start yelling after someone else provokes you and you finally give in and yell ... that's normal. The thing to do is recover from it quickly and move on with your life, resolving to do better next time. You're a church goer, so you can ask God forgiveness for losing your temper and then pray for the lady if you want.

And yeah, move on to bigger and better things. Focus on things that make you happy.

Now if it were me, I might think up ways to counter the woman's behavior ... However, I won't give you advice on this for a couple of reasons. 1) It would involve confrontation on some level. 2) Since I'm a middle-aged woman, I might be able to get away with more than you could as a man ... she might try to turn the tables on you if you confront her and make it look like you were the one causing the trouble.

So do your best to avoid her and yeah, know your worth and even if only inwardly, rise above her pettiness.

I wish you the best.

It isn't so much that what she said bothers me. It's because... I don't know how to describe it. I'm usually in a really mellow mood neither happy or sad. On the rare occaision that I have to feel a strong emotion I'll get "high" on that emotion for a couple of hours. I'll be shaking and my heart will be pounding and I'll talk to myself the whole time. But then when it goes away its like my brain has to compensate for that by giving me a really low depressed feeling for an even longer time. Usually its anger that does this but being really happy or laughing a lot has this effect too. That's what I'm trying to avoid.

Dismissal, distraction and equanimity in the bigger picture helps for me.
Ultimately, it doesn't matter what she says. Her words and yelling and cursing are just noises, devoid of meaning. It doesn't matter what she thinks - if you owe her or don't owe her or why. She is not relevant. Dismiss her.
Go on to something that gives you the sort of mellow neutral you prefer, and focus there, instead of on ballooning the emotions her behaviour incites.
That may be bad advice. Just an idea.