PRAISOPHOBIA – A Weird “PHOBIA”

From my “HUMOR IN MARRIAGE” Archives – here is an updated and abridged version of a blog post I wrote around 2 years ago

PRAISOPHOBIA 

A Weird “PHOBIA”

(Not to be confused with “Prosophobia” – which means the “fear of progress”)

Ramblings of a Retired Mind

By

VIKRAM KARVE

PRAISOPHOBIA – MEANING AND DEFINITION

I have coined a new term – “PRAISOPHOBIA”

“Praisophobia” is the Fear of Praise.

“Praisophobia” is the fear that if you praise someone then that person’s behaviour may change for the worse 

Or if you praise something, then something adverse may happen

(Praisophobia is not to be confused with Prosophobia which means fear of progress)

PRAISOPHOBIA IN ACTION

Let me give you an example of PRAISOPHOBIA.

Twenty years ago, if you asked my wife what was the worst thing she did not like about me, she would unhesitatingly say that she hated my drinking and smoking habits – my wife particularly disliked my love for drinking alcohol.

Yes, I must confess that I indeed loved to drink alcohol.

I had my first drink after I joined the Navy in the 1970’s.

I started enjoying drinking alcohol in earnest on my first ship where the wardroom bar was well stocked with the choicest varieties of alcoholic beverages – wines, spirits, liquors, liqueurs, beers – you name it and the drink was available. 

Those days drinking was quite affordable since the booze was duty-free on ships.

(And along with drinking, we started smoking too – the main incentive being the attraction of the best imported brands of cigarettes which we got at duty-free rates in the navy).

I sampled and tasted all the types of choicest liquor available in the ship’s bar.

After experiencing all varieties and types of alcoholic drinks I discovered that I liked two brands:

1. a Blended Scotch Whisky called Chivas Regal (which I drank on board in the Ship’s Wardroom)

and

2. an Indian Dark Rum called Hercules XXX Rum (which I drank ashore in Navy Wardrooms and Military Officers’ Messes and Clubs). 

We did not get duty-free liquor ashore and after developing a taste for Scotch Whisky I found the Indian Whiskies of those days quite raw, coarse and rough for my palate.

In contrast, Indian Dark Rum was probably the best in the world and famous brands Indian Rum like Hercules, Sea Pirate and Old Monk were particularly good and mellow.

Hey, I am digressing, so let me get to the point.

As I told you, my wife hated my drinking.

In contrast, I loved drinking so much that I used to eagerly wait for sunset so that I could pour my first peg of the day.

(As a rule I avoided drinking in daytime since I did not enjoy it)

I drank quite regularly, almost every day, and I am sure my wife was very worried that I may become an alcoholic.

My wife religiously fasted on Mondays and I am sure she prayed to God that I should stop drinking alcohol.

Probably, my regular drinking was the biggest problem in her married life.

Then, all of a sudden, one day I stopped drinking and smoking.

Yes, I quit drinking alcohol forever. 

On the same day I also quit smoking forever.

This happened more than 12 years ago and since then I have remained a teetotaller and non-smoker.

I thought that my wife would be delighted that I had stopped drinking and smoking.

I thought that my wife would be filled with joy that her prayers had been answered.

I expected that my wife would be happy and grateful that her alcohol loving husband had turned a new leaf and was living a life of temperance and sobriety.

In fact, I thought that she would be full of praise for me. 

However, since the day I quit drinking, my wife has never praised me even once for having the resolve and willpower to free myself from the clutches of alcohol which I loved so dearly.

In my opinion, for an alcohol lover like me to have given up drinking was a commendable act deserving of the highest praise, especially from my wife who hated my drinking habit.

Yet, my wife has never uttered a word of praise for my good deed, either in private or in public.

Yes, in all these 12 years, my wife has never praised me for having given up drinking and smoking.

The reason – PRAISOPHOBIA

My wife is afraid of the consequences of praise. 

My wife feels that if she praises me, then I may start drinking and smoking again.

So Dear Reader, the moral of the story is this:

If you do a praiseworthy deed and someone does not praise you then please do not get disappointed and do not think that those persons are unappreciative.

Maybe that person suffers from “Praisophobia”.

Think about it. 

Do you suffer from Praisophobia? 

Is your spouse afflicted by Praisophobia?

Or do you know someone who is Praisophobic?

Have you observed “Praisophobia”?

Do tell us of your experiences with “Praisophobia” and other such crazy phobias you have come across in your life.

VIKRAM KARVE

Copyright © Vikram Karve 
1. If you share this post, please give due credit to the author Vikram Karve
2. Please DO NOT PLAGIARIZE. Please DO NOT Cut/Copy/Paste this post
© vikram karve., all rights reserved.

Disclaimer:

All Stories in this Blog are a work of fiction. Events, Places, Settings and Incidents narrated in the stories are a figment of my imagination. The characters do not exist and are purely imaginary. Any resemblance to persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.

Copyright Notice:

No part of this Blog may be reproduced or utilized in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical including photocopying or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the Blog Author Vikram Karve who holds the copyright.

Copyright © Vikram Karve (all rights reserved)

Updated Version of my Article on PRAISOPHOBIA First Posted by me Vikram Karve in my Academic and Creative Writing Journal Blog at 3/14/2013 11:01:00 AM at url: http://karvediat.blogspot.in/2013/03/praisophobia.html