When Praise is a Problem: Especially for People with Anxiety Disorder
How do you react to a compliment? Suppose you took great pains to prepare a delicious supper to have it with your family and friends. Seeing the results of your endeavor disappear so rapidly, you understand the dish has been a success. You hear the words of gratitude and praise: “Delicious!”, “The best dish I’ve ever tasted!” Everyone wants to learn your recipe, letting you know you’ve really impressed them. It’s not the first time you cook for them, but this supper is definitely special. You’re delighted. In a few weeks you might remember it with pleasure and pride.
But it’s not everyone who feels like that in such situations. Some people feel uncomfortable when they come across a great deal of praise and attention. They would prefer their effort, fantastic though they are, to be just acknowledged. If others praise them, they try to pretend nothing’s happened and erase the memories of success, not enjoying it.
According to the University of British Columbia, it’s the tendency to focus on the negative rather than the positive that is characteristic of people having social anxiety disorder (SAD). Such individuals may smother all their positive memories, which is bound to affect their career and life in general.
