How do you respond to compliments?

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I can't take them at all! I hate compliments and affection! It makes me very uncomfortable!

I don't like them.

With most compliments, the insincere social niceties, I get annoyed. When I've actually done something significant, I get embarrassed and wish people wouldn't compliment me.

Either way, my response is either to stand there until they change the topic, or to say "oh" or "OK". I realize that "thanks" is probably the appropriate response, but that feels weird so I don't say it.

I simply say thank you, because the people that do give me compliments mean them :)

I think I'm relating to all these posts about how compliments make me uncomfortable. I get nervous and just stare at the person like I'm saying, "Uh, what?" Sometimes I say that out loud. It's even gotten to the point where if I have achieve something big (i.e. make the Dean's List, finish writing a piece of music that took me a while to write, etc.), I don't think it's that big of a deal. It's just like, "whatever". My family thinks it's weird I don't take my accomplishments seriously. I've even rejected offers for elite high school/collegiate societies for my grades because I felt like I didn't deserve it.

i outright reject them. like this:
them: "you have beautiful eyes"
me: "no i don't"

or when people are complimenting me and i know they are but really it seems inappropriate to say thank you because i am not responsible for what the compliment is directed to. like being complimented on my shirt. i didnt make the shirt why are they telling me it's nice? i dont know if i should say thank you so i dont. the designer might be pleased though.

Oh my gosh. Now you've done it!! What am I to do with a genie following me around when I need alone time?!

Fortunately, I can be quite good at creative problem solving. So I think I will tell the genie to go bug you when I need to be alone, as one of my blessings.

That's the best thing I've read all day. But to be honest, I did only just wake up so I haven't actually read many things, but still I like it. I've never thought about it that way and it's an interesting point of view.

I hope what I said didn't come across as a compliment and make you uncomfortable.

But maybe it is a compliment in a way too, I don't know.

Sorry I'm confused now.

External reaction: a smile and a "Thanks!"

Internal reaction:

That's it. I am sending round the trucks to collect you all and take you to the Remedial Compliment Acceptance Training camps.

Yes, there are quite a few types of negative, manipulative or useless compliments.

But there are also positive ones, genuninely meant, with good intention. Sometimes it is an expression of appreciation and at other times admiration. Rebuffing a genuine complimentor is like throwing food in the face of someone trying to share their meal with you.

Maybe there is a problem determining whether it is genuine or not ? Usually I can tell, though I sometimes have trouble discerning sarcasim.

Thanks for all the insightful and also funny replies, you guys! Really paints a nice picture of how everyone individually deals with this. I'm quite surprised how many of you also feel uncomfortable when being complimented. I can get behind what whirlingmind said about seeing one's own inadequacies and expecting others to see them, too.

Reading your posts, I have to say I'm a bit embarrassed that I forgot to mention I actually do say 'Thank you' in general when I receive a compliment.

Dang, that sounds so annoying. I guess the compliment is meant to 'cushion the blow', except the people in question aren't doing a very good job at it. I know what it's like to be on the receiving end of a disproportionate amount of negative feedback, so I can guess where you're coming from.



Yeah, I feel something similar. I think the point of the compliment is that they like your taste in clothing. I myself tend not to be too concerned about what I wear, as long as it's comfy, so when it ends up looking good in someone else's eyes. it's more of a coincidence... and unintentional on my part.

That's an apt metaphor. Speaking for myself, it's rare that I encounter a compliment and expect an ulterior motive, it's more that I find it difficult to come up with the approprate thing to say... and then I lose the moment while trying to think of something.

Compliments are uncomfortable, since they usually bring about a sense of superiority in others, and I fear they may lead to such corruption within myself (though I spend a fair amount of time cutting myself down to counteract any possible corruption and to encourage more effort to excel). I prefer constructive criticism (not ad hominem arguments) emphasizing on negative aspects. For example, if someone thinks my art is good, I don't want to hear that. Instead, tell me what needs to be done to improve it and how horrible it looks. When I do receive a compliment, I will say something to the effect of "I fail to see why you like it; it looks like a lobotomized gerbil was attempting to dance with a pencil (begins rattling off inadequacies)."

i respond to compliments with a loud growl. i hate them.