The Scary Way You Overreact, Based On Your Zodiac Sign
People should run for cover when your emotional volcano gets ready to explode.
getty There are times when you just can’t hold it back and you explode. We all overreact and the results aren’t pretty. Why do we overreact when we know there might be devastating consequences? The truth is, usually if we’re at the point where we don’t have control over our emotions, we have even less control about how we express them.
Luckily, horoscopes and astrology, in general, act as great guides, allowing us to understand how the zodiac signs overreact to every day situations. Because the way that you react is often linked to how you express yourself on a daily basis, how open emotionally you are, and other factors such as how your family handles extreme emotions, how your culture viewed the expression of negative emotion, and if you feel that most of the time you’re not being heard.
Is it better to be too emotional, or to repress your feelings? It seems to me that if you repress what you’re feeling and push it down, at some point it’s going to explode and cause you to overreact.
Sometimes when our reaction is much more magnified than we expected or if it’s way out of proportion to the incident that caused it, we can feel embarrassed. When you overreact, you generally cause a scene, and if you’re way overboard, you’re going to be involving people with your emotions whether they want to be included or not.
ARIES (March 21 - April 19)
As fun and adventurous Aries may be, they have a dark side. When they overreact, you know it. They tend to get very confrontational and if you are their focus, you'll be shocked at how intense and hurtful they can be with their words.
The more Aries goes on, the more worked up they get until they practically explode. When an Aries is overreacting, they're not being rational and it can take a while for them to realize that how they're reacting is way out of proportion to whatever set them off in the first place.
TAURUS (April 20 - May 20)
Taurus are extremely stubborn, so the more pushback they get on something, the more they're going to dig their heels in and fight back. Everything will escalate and so will the importance to the Taurus individual.
They might be casually talking with a friend and suddenly it becomes a standoff, and you can bet that Taurus isn't going to back down. They tend to not scream or throw things, but that doesn't mean they don't overreact — they do, and it's the kind of overreaction where no one remains unscathed.
GEMINI (May 21 - June 20)
When Geminis overreact they use their words and go for the jugular. They will let out a stream of cursing and insults that are hurtful in their intensity. The ways Geminis overreact is unpredictable and sometimes seems as if it came out of nowhere.
They might not react to something they normally react to and then go completely overboard on something that seems like no big deal. It's hard to gauge when a Gemini is going to have a major emotional reaction.
CANCER (June 21 - July 22)
If it involves their feelings, there's a good chance that Cancer is going to overreact. They may go on a crying jag or go off by themselves acting as if whatever happened was traumatic, even if it was something fairly simple like not getting a birthday text from their ex.
When Cancers overreact, they might have five different emotions going at the same time, and they seem like they're a fireball of exploding energy.
LEO (July 23 - August 22)
When Leos overreact it tends to be when they're feeling ignored or marginalized. If Leo doesn't think they're being heard or are lacking in support, they'll overreact. Their focus will be on the people who usually have Leo's back, and Leo may be feeling that people are plotting against them.
When Leo strikes out, it's usually quite dramatic and over-the-top, because they want to make sure their message is being heard.
VIRGO (August 23 - September 22)
Virgo's overreaction may seem very cool, but underneath the surface they're raging. If Virgo feels that they're being taken advantage of or that they're not getting the appreciation they deserve for the work they're doing, they will overreact.
Their emotions may be simmering underneath, but eventually, they'll come out so their emotional display will be out of balance with the situation.
LIBRA (September 23 - October 22)
Libras also have a tendency to bottle up their emotions until those emotions explode out. Libras really hate injustice and getting called out for something they didn't do.
They hold on to past hurts and trauma, so if something happened when they were a child such as getting bitten by a dog, they will over-generalize that all dogs bite even when they know that isn't the case, and set themselves up for a big reaction when they encounter a dog.
SCORPIO (October 23 - November 21)
If a Scorpio thinks that they've been lied to, or used, or that the love they give isn't being returned, watch out — their reaction will be huge. If they could harness their rage, it would be able to power New York City.
They see things in black and white and there's no gray area — you're either with them or you need to be gone. Scorpio feels things intensely so, of course, their reactions are often too big in contrast to whatever it was that set them off.
SAGITTARIUS (November 22 - December 21)
Sagittarius individuals have a big habit of jumping to conclusions about people's emotions and take things very personally. If Sagittarius feels wronged or slighted by someone or something, they're going to have a huge reaction.
They'll tell people off in person, by text, and even the old-fashioned way by letter. They may feel horrible after their missive has been sent, but they never seem to take other people's reactions into consideration before they make their move.
CAPRICORN (December 22 - January 19)
When Capricorn uses words like "should," "must," or "ought," they're being judgmental about whomever they're talking about — usually themselves. And these words have the power to set Capricorn off.
When Capricorn is feeling defeated or like a failure, they will tend to overreact to things that normally wouldn't bother them such as someone getting their name wrong or making assumptions about them. They may have a few moments of swearing, throwing things, and punching a wall, but it usually won't go on for too long.
AQUARIUS (January 20 - February 18)
Don't cut Aquarius off in traffic or take the parking spot they signaled they wanted. Aquarians get very upset when it comes to the rules of the road. They're the type of people who will try to "teach a lesson" to the person who didn't use their signal or followed them too closely.
Their overreaction is not unlike road rage where it happens out of the blue, tends to revolve around some kind of driving violation, and they scream a lot of obscenities. Aquarius isn't one to just brush off what they feel is disrespect.
PISCES (February 19 - March 20)
Pisces tend to cry a lot and they may cry over something that doesn't seem cry-worthy to other people. However, everything has the potential to make Pisces cry.
They are built to feel, and even if it's kind of embarrassing to have a Pisces crying their eyes out at that rom-com, you kind of have to admire them for their ability to easily tap into their emotions.
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Christine Schoenwald is a writer, performer, and astrology lover. She has written over 500 articles on the zodiac signs and how the stars influence us. She's had articles in The Los Angeles Times, Salon, Woman's Day, and is a contributing writer to Ravishly, I AM & CO, and YourTango. Check out her website, her Facebook writer's page, and her Instagram.