People who can't handle criticism often react in these 11 childish ways

When someone can’t take being criticized, they may do these things.

A man in a blue shirt and tie sits on a couch with his arms raised, expressing frustration during a conversation. Shelves with books and binders are in the background, and a woman is partially visible, sitting opposite him.

Some people are great at receiving constructive criticism, and others are most definitely not. You can tell if someone falls into the latter category if they behave in any of these childish manners when faced with anything other than a glowing appraisal of their actions or performance.

1. Instant retaliation.

A woman in a yellow cardigan sits on a couch, looking away with a hand on her chin, appearing frustrated. A man in a brown hoodie sits next to her, gesturing with clenched fists and an angry expression, amidst a dispute in a bright room with plants.

Some of the people who take insult over criticism will immediately lash out at whoever made them feel bad. The criticism may be completely justified, but they’ll turn it around and attack the one critiquing them, like saying “You do that too!”, or bringing up past mistakes the other has made.

2. “Ad hominem” (personal) attacks.

A woman with shoulder-length brown hair is seated on a grey couch, making a frustrated or angry facial expression while pointing her finger forward. The background includes a lit floor lamp and a brick wall.

If they can’t critique the person’s past behaviors, then they’ll attack or insult them personally to punish them for the criticism they’ve doled out. Common ad hominem attacks revolve around the person’s appearance, sexuality, gender, or age, but may also involve cruel implications that have no basis in reality.

3. Inability to respond objectively.

A man wearing glasses and a white t-shirt is raising his arms and shouting at a woman with long hair and glasses, who is sitting at a table with a plate of croissants. An open laptop and a bowl of fruit are also on the table.

They might refuse to look at the situation objectively in order to acknowledge the validity of the criticism being leveled at them. They can’t (or won’t) adjust their perspective to view the situation from another’s standpoint, and will attempt to justify and argue against whatever critique they’re receiving.

4. Denial of accountability.

A man with a serious expression points to himself with both thumbs. He is wearing a light blue shirt, a dark gray vest, and a blue patterned tie, standing in front of an orange background.

If and when they finally do accept the criticism, then you can be certain that it wasn’t their fault. Instead, they’ll blame everyone around them for whatever went wrong, whether it was another group member not pulling their weight, someone else giving them the wrong due date, and so on.

5. Changing the subject.

A man and a woman in business attire are having a conversation outdoors. The man, wearing glasses and a blue tie, gestures while speaking. The woman holds a black folder and listens attentively. They are in front of a glass building.

Some people who can’t handle criticism will use misdirection in order to stop feeling uncomfortable with the critique they’re receiving. For example, they might bring up a topic that they know is more serious in order to shift the focus, or they’ll suddenly have a serious health complaint that needs immediate attention.

6. Overdramatic, over-the-top reactions.

A woman with blonde hair and glasses confidently stands with her arms crossed and a slight smile in an office setting. In the background, a man in a suit is angrily throwing papers in the air. The scene looks tense but she appears composed.

Sometimes, their response to criticism will be an extremely dramatic, disproportionate, and downright infantile reaction. For example, if you suggest that a dish they cooked needed just a bit more salt, they might throw it out the door for the wild animals to eat, and refuse to ever cook it again.

7. Tantrums.

A woman with shoulder-length blonde hair is standing against a light pink background. She is wearing a colorful striped sweater and a watch on her wrist. She looks angry, with her mouth open and fists raised.

Those who have difficulty regulating their emotions might even have meltdowns and toddler-like tantrums when they encounter criticism—even if said criticism is gentle and constructive. Although we may find this behavior contemptible, it often springs from deep-seated personal issues they’re struggling with, or neurodiversity such as autism or ADHD.

8. They try to pull rank.

An older man in a suit is gesturing and talking to a younger man with a beard and ponytail, who is sitting at a desk with an open laptop, stacks of notebooks, and a calculator. The younger man is listening attentively, holding a pen in one hand.

If they feel that the criticism leveled at them is unwarranted, they may try to pull rank by implying that their credentials are higher or more impressive than those of the one critiquing them. By doing so, they’re saying that whatever they did is correct by default: it’s the criticism that’s wrong.

9. Dismissal.

A woman with long, wavy hair sits in a modern living room with a puzzled expression, shrugging her shoulders. She is wearing a polka-dotted blouse. The background features a gray sofa, bookshelves, a lamp, and hanging lights.

Quite often, they’ll summarily dismiss the criticism as invalid, since they got positive responses from others. For example, if they ask an editor to read the book they wrote, and the editor comes back with constructive criticism that they dislike, they’ll ignore it because everyone else said their writing was great.

10. Taking the criticism as a personal attack.

A woman with long brown hair, wearing a yellow top and a denim jacket, stands outdoors with her eyes partially closed. She looks distressed and is holding her chest with one hand. The background features lush green trees.

Some people can’t separate their work from themselves, and will take a workplace or college course critique as a personal injury. They’ll assume that the person criticizing them hates them and is treating them unfairly, and may even quit their job or school program so they can’t get hurt again.

11. Sulking.

A woman in a yellow sweater and jeans sits on a couch with a thoughtful, concerned expression, resting her chin on her hand. A man in a dark shirt and jeans sits on another couch in the background, his arms crossed, looking away. The setting appears tense.

Another childish response is sulking and giving the silent treatment. This often happens when someone is called out for poor behavior. They do this to gain emotional sympathy, e.g. the person who had the audacity to criticize them should bring them snacks and hugs to make up for being “mean”.