Compliments can be harmless on the surface, but some people hear them through a completely different filter.

When one woman admired a nurse’s strong arms during a routine appointment, the reaction wasn’t at all what she expected.

Instead of a simple “thank you,” she found herself caught in an uncomfortable spiral she never intended to start.

Read on for the full story!

AITA. I (32 f) complimented a female nurse during OBGYN appt for having nice arm muscles and she snapped at me.

I (32F) complimented a female nurse during an OBGYN appt for having nice arm muscles.

The nurse didn’t take it as much of a compliment, though.

She was very bothered by my comment for some reason which I am trying to wrap my head around.

She went on and on saying that most people working on themselves at the gym have serious mental health issues and are working out to channel through it and not to “look nice.”

The patient tried to apologize, but it seemed like the damage was already done.

I apologized and told her I meant no harm and that I simply admired her for looking strong.

She kept getting more angry and I just stopped responding.

The whole interaction left this patient feeling deeply shaken.

I left the office feeling really confused. Any input would be greatly appreciated from this awkward human who was just trying to socialize.

I’d like to add that she was wearing the type of scrubs with cap sleeves that specifically show off your upper arms.

AITA?

This patient meant well, but the nurse saw her intentions as much more malicious.

What did Reddit think?

This user seems to think this nurse took things way too far.

Even if the nurse was offended, she could have handled it more gracefully.

This user shares a good rule of thumb for future compliments.

Complimenting someone on their muscles seems to be risky business if you aren’t willing to deal with the fallout.

Ultimately, this patient will just need to remember that she only had good intentions.

Sometimes the best you can do is shrug, move on, and save your compliments for people who actually appreciate them.

If you liked that post, check out this story about a guy who was forced to sleep on the couch at his wife’s family’s house, so he went to a hotel instead.