Blushing

[debs]

Hi,

Just wondering if any of you blush when meeting people, I even blush when my childs teacher approaches me to speak I imagine all the other parents are looking at me and I get so anxious.

I take Propanalol which helps with the general day to day anxiety but dosent stop the blushing or if I have a social event to go to my anxiety get really bad days, even weeks before.

Just wondering if anyone else experiences this!!!!

[pinkwafer]

Yep I do.

I try not to let it bother me, but it does.

[framlingen]

Yeah I blush terribly when meeting new people or talking to people I don't know well / don't know what their reaction will be of me etc.. It affects what I say and how I act because I become overly conscious of it and if the other person has noticed it. I suppose it makes me feel inferior, but maybe trying not to think about it will stop it happening...

[blusher123]

Join the club :/

[Pink*Lady]

Yes if I'm with a group of people or being watched doing something.

[paul25]

yip i blush all the time and i cant get it out of my head, but dont think there is a cure for it out there yet hopefully something will come along soon x

[courageous]

Me too! It's the worst symptom of my anxiety because it's so visible and it's no good telling me that others don't notice, 'cos they do! I've often thought of getting a group of blushers together so that we could have a 'blush fest' and blush for England without having to worry about it!

[fairl1ght]

Originally Posted by courageous

Me too! It's the worst symptom of my anxiety because it's so visible and it's no good telling me that others don't notice, 'cos they do! I've often thought of getting a group of blushers together so that we could have a 'blush fest' and blush for England without having to worry about it!

Haha, that made me laugh out loud. It would be pretty funny.
I used to take Seroxat (before all the controversy) and that put a stop to the blushing, it also made me pretty fearless and confrontational which is not me at all! over the last few years I was on Fluoxitine or Prozac as it's more commonly known, this too helped with the blushing.
The most rubbish anti-depressant/anxiety I've been on was citalopram. It did F all and I went right down hill after they put me on that. Infact i was wondering if it might have been a placebo because I know of a couple of other people who became very ill again after being put on that drug.

[DanVanDam09]

I used to blush all the time, when I started on Citalopram, it just kinda stopped

[debs]

Yea that would be funny getting us all together. I was thinking of asking to be put on citalopram but dont no now after readingfair1ghts comments about it. DanVanDam09 do you recommend it how did you feel going on it : side affects????

[fairl1ght]

Originally Posted by DanVanDam09

I used to blush all the time, when I started on Citalopram, it just kinda stopped

I guess different things work for different people

[cavedin]

I've seen a couple of people who acted quite confident who seemed to blush a lot, they went bright red. I'm not sure if they were embarrassed or if the heat was affecting them. I don't think much about it if I see other people blush, I think it can be cute, but I know it's not nice when you feel yourself going bright red.

[paul25]

my blushing is away past the cute stage. i blush at everything and get embarrased for no reason which makes me hide from most situations. i dont want to take any meds as i feel they can lead to more problems. there isnt enough out there to help us blushers

[sparky10]

I think some people just have a more sensitive autonomic system. I blush easily but it has gotten better as i got older. it can become a vicious cycle if you focus on it in an attempt to stop it. This will never work and then you can find yourself doing it all thme. You have to accept it , you will probably always do it but thats life. propanalol does help but didnt like the sideeffects.
There is the sympathectomy op i think its called but ive heard that can create worse problems

[Ajax Amsterdam]

Originally Posted by sparky10

I think some people just have a more sensitive autonomic system. I blush easily but it has gotten better as i got older. it can become a vicious cycle if you focus on it in an attempt to stop it. This will never work and then you can find yourself doing it all thme. You have to accept it , you will probably always do it but thats life. propanalol does help but didnt like the sideeffects.
There is the sympathectomy op i think its called but ive heard that can create worse problems

Yep, I saw a surgeon on the NHS some years ago about having the Endoscopic Transthoracic Sympathectomy (ETS) operation. I eventually changed my mind about having it due to the potential side-effects. Because they cut the sympathetic nerve chain right next to a part of it that effects they eyes, there is potential to be left with a drooping eyelid. I think it's called Horners Syndrome, if I recall correctly. Also, you cannot sweat above the nipple-line once the nerve has been cut. This can result in the body sweating a lot more (compensatory sweating) elsewhere, which can be embarrassing in itself. Some surgeons went on to clamping the nerve rather than cutting it incase a patient wanted a reversal operation later on, but this often damaged the nerve anyway. To be put forward for that op my GP insisted I had counselling first, and it was fully explained that ETS is an extreme way of treating the problem. I doubt it can even be done on the NHS now anyway. It cost a couple of thousand to be done privately back then.

To cut a long story short, I had counselling, started to use bits of CBT on myself and I went on Cipralex (Escitalopram) and this combination seriously reduced my blushing. I still blush at times, but I don't get worked up about it, so it fades a lot quicker. I also use Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) principles. ACT believes that the struggle with anxiety/blushing actually fuels anxiety/blushing. The more we try to fight blushing, the more anxious about blushing we get, so the more we blush. So by making no effort to fight it, and accepting it if it comes, it has little anxiety to feed off, so it fades out. The primary goal being acceptance, not reduction. But reduction is often a by-product of acceptance.

One thing is a certainty. The more you fight against blushing, the more you will blush. It's the anxiety we have about blushing that continually feeds further blushing. The more focus you place on it, the more entrenched the cycle becomes.

[HardRockGlamour]

I think, maybe if I blushed, it would do me some good! Give me some colour! I'm as white as a Cullen but not as pretty.

[paul25]

i do accept it but it doesnt make it any easier and has changed my life so much! what i cant understand is why i only started blushing in the last 15 months...why did it suddenly just start happening. sorry to keep talking about myself here just really trying to get this problem sorted.

[sparky10]

Originally Posted by paul25

i do accept it but it doesnt make it any easier and has changed my life so much! what i cant understand is why i only started blushing in the last 15 months...why did it suddenly just start happening. sorry to keep talking about myself here just really trying to get this problem sorted.

It is very hard to accept when it colours your everday interactions with everyone i know. if it only just strated in the last 15 months that is unusual i must admit
How old are you btw ? there is a condition called rosacea which stress and embarrasment can make worse, its as skin condition where your face is permanently red with other facets. just a thought.

[debs]

Dosnt matter what age you are a mental health problem can happen at any time of your life weither your 20 or 50. I no a man healthy all his life nearly 50 and started getting anxiety and panic attacks. I think its in you and will eventually come out. Paul does anyone else in your family have anxiety? my father did I think its genetic. Even a death in the family can trigger it off.

I know what you mean Sparky10 about rosacea, but I no as a blusher too that the condition isnt in my case. The feeling of fear, anxiety and loads of other emotions when you are going red is a mental health problem.

[BozZian]

Ah blushing, the bane of my life. I can safely say it’s the one condition alone that has affected my life so badly. All the way from school to now my senior years it has shattered me. I can blush so very easily, it has effected every important area of my life, I have no doubt if it wasn’t for it I could have achieved far more than I have, work and relationships. So much so, if I could go back 20 years, I would have the surgery (possible side effects considered) now available to try and clear it.

The blushing has been so severe for so long, I now have the Rocasea condition to contend with also, what a ****ing joke.

[debs]

How did you find out you have Rocasea too, im sorry to hear that. I too feel that my life is passing me by and that i could have achieved so much. I not living Im excisting.

[paul25]

im 19 but i dont think its a rosacea because my face doesnt stay red it just comes on when i get embarrased or panic but goes away when im out of that situation thanks anyway. hi debs, my brother is bad with social anxiety and so is my uncle but none of them blush or go red and i was always fine upto 15 months ago, debs does blushing make you really struggle at times ?

[paul25]

sorry just read your both comments there, i know ive only suffered from blushing in the last 15 months but what yous are saying sounds excactly whats going on with me and its just ruining everything. there needs to be alot better help out there for people who have this problem because it really is ruining people lives to an extent.

[sparky10]

Originally Posted by debs

Dosnt matter what age you are a mental health problem can happen at any time of your life weither your 20 or 50. I no a man healthy all his life nearly 50 and started getting anxiety and panic attacks. I think its in you and will eventually come out. Paul does anyone else in your family have anxiety? my father did I think its genetic. Even a death in the family can trigger it off.

I know what you mean Sparky10 about rosacea, but I no as a blusher too that the condition isnt in my case. The feeling of fear, anxiety and loads of other emotions when you are going red is a mental health problem.

Im not saying a mental health problem cannot come on at any time that is quite obvious. your genes, environment et al can bring on any predisposing condition. I have suffered from gad and depression in the last two years severley when i didnt have them before.
Ive blushed all my life but that imo is not a mental health problem in itself only when it progresses to social anxiety disorder. shyness is not classed as a mental health problem otherwise there would be a lot more people under the umbrella.

[johnA]

Hey

I’ve had terrible problems with blushing. I had ETS surgery (when I was 18) which reduced this considerably. There can be problems with this though but I would do it again.

When I take Clonazepam I not only notice that my general facial redness is greatly reduced but I also find I don’t blush at all. A lot of people take Clonazepam once or twice a week for rosacea type blushing. Might be worth considering.

[johnA]

Just a little more regarding my ETS operation...

I had it done in Ipswich by Dr Alan Cameron (president of vascular sympathctomy). It cost me £4400 8 years ago. If I had known about all the potential sides when I was 18 I probably wouldn't have had it done. I have noticed a slight increase in sweating on my back (on very hot days) but a decrease on my arm pits (which is a very good thing). All in all I believe it was worth the money.

Benfica is right about Horner's Syndrome. The first I heard about this was 4 hours before my op and nothing would have changed my mind. Looking back I was taking a big risk but glad it paid off.

Good Luck

[Ajax Amsterdam]

Originally Posted by johnA

Just a little more regarding my ETS operation...

I had it done in Ipswich by Dr Alan Cameron (president of vascular sympathctomy). It cost me £4400 8 years ago. If I had known about all the potential sides when I was 18 I probably wouldn't have had it done. I have noticed a slight increase in sweating on my back (on very hot days) but a decrease on my arm pits (which is a very good thing). All in all I believe it was worth the money.

Benfica is right about Horner's Syndrome. The first I heard about this was 4 hours before my op and nothing would have changed my mind. Looking back I was taking a big risk but glad it paid off.

Good Luck

It's good to hear that your ETS op turned out well for you, John.

For anyone who doesn't already know this, there is a forum called the ESFB Channel http://www.esfbchannel.com/forum/index.html and this is for people who have problems with Excessive Sweating and Facial Blushing. Rosacea is covered too. That forum may be a useful read to anyone interested. I've not been there in ages, but I found it useful so time ago.

Originally Posted by Sparky10

Ive blushed all my life but that imo is not a mental health problem in itself

Agreed, but for some people it can impact severely on their mental wellbeing, thus becoming a psychological problem, as you said. Both my GP and the surgeon who was going to do my ETS operation mentioned this. How blushing, in itself, is not problematic, but the anxiety and distress some people feel over their blushing can become a real psychological problem.

[sparky10]

Agreed, but for some people it can impact severely on their mental wellbeing, thus becoming a psychological problem, as you said. Both my GP and the surgeon who was going to do my ETS operation mentioned this. How blushing, in itself, is not problematic, but the anxiety and distress some people feel over their blushing can become a real psychological problem.[/QUOTE]

Good point it is a fine line between excessive facial blushing and an anxiety disorder. The psychological problems it creates can easily lead to this and the anxiety and distress pervades every aspect of your life. This i believe brought on my sa and even though i dont blush as much as i once did the psychological problems still remain.

[BozZian]

Originally Posted by debs

How did you find out you have Rocasea too, im sorry to hear that. I too feel that my life is passing me by and that i could have achieved so much. I not living Im excisting.

Thanks Debs . Well I pretty much self diagnosed it. Doctor confirmed but as ever was cared little and prescribed some cream, which didnt help at all . I have recently undertaken a 1st treatment of IPL(lntensed Pulse Laser). Its early days but intitial signs are encouraging. Though I know not to expect a miracle cure

As for exsisting and not living. Think most of us can relate to that. I am very determined to do what I can as far as turning things around, but realistic I can only do so much, I can put too much pressure on myself. Sometimes I believe we should take a step back and appreciate what we have, instead of the constant struggle to find x & y.

Suppose its a balance of "doing your best and letting life do the rest".

[paul25]

JohnA and benfica do you think i should go for the ets surgery? i play football as my job would this operation affect me when im exercising?