Read too much into it,

There are people who read too much into a statement or question and become offended or defensive.  Usually it is because of their own insecurities and negative thoughts that made them react to a simple question or statement.

I met this middle aged guy at a bar many years ago when I still in my late 20s.  We got to start talking and our conversation led to asking about each other's age.  He told me he was 45 yo but he actually looked good for 45.  I thought he was in his late 30s.  So I said that he looked well preserved for his age which was a compliment that he looks younger than 45.  But he got defensive about it and got pissed that I thought he is an old guy that needs to be preserved.  Jeez!  Talk about being insecure with his age that he can not even take a compliment point blank without reading too much into it.

I got this patient at work who is a 50 yo female with an amputation of her leg.  It is always difficult to engage this woman to work with me.  I often wish our session would be finish earlier.  A thought came to me that if this patient got speech therapy, our Physical therapy sessions would not have to be that long.  So I absent mindedly asked her if she gets any speech therapy.  Instead of just saying no.  She got all defensive and asked angrily if she looks like she needed speech therapy.  Granted that she is right about not needing speech therapy, but every simple conversation with her is always turned into a confrontation.  Every simple statement or question is always answered with a hint of hostility. She reads too much into things based on her own negative life experience.  She may not need speech therapy but she obviously need counseling from a psychologist.