Blushing is a physiological response to the sufferer’s stressing over social situations, as when they are suddenly cast into the spotlight or introduced to someone new. It happens because they feel it will, and they exaggerate the problem to such an extreme that it’s all they can think about.

Fearing other’s judgment; they totally blow the blushing episode up to be this big, scary problem that really isn’t. A little redness in the face and a few stammered words are not catastrophic, but that person thinks they are. Those same people exaggerate the way their blushing affects others.

One “treatment” available for social anxiety and blushing is cognitive therapy. This type of therapy attempts to directly address all the triggers that a blusher might have for their problem. Sufferer’s anxiety is what feeds the blushing pattern, so cognitive therapy seeks to teach different ideas and feelings about that anxiety.

Therapy will also teach special exercises that aim to help reduce blushing, and patients will want to practice these often as the new, more rational information is becoming embedded in their mind. A combination of methods lead you to change how you think, feel, and most of all, perceive, blushing. These changes will help them to control over their blushing.

This type of therapy can take a considerable amount of time and patience, not to mention quite a bit of money laid out to the therapist the patient works with. Cognitive therapy, like any other treatment, does not work for everyone, and is just one option available to those who suffer from a severe blushing problem.

There are many exercises that a blusher can work on without a therapist; Blushing Breakthrough contains many exercises to help blushers work on recognising their own personal triggers and reducing anxiety.

When you are embarrassed, you blush- the two things just naturally occur together.  Sudden self-consciousness causes the natural flushing response and it’s typically overlooked.

Since blushing can be emotionally debilitating for some people, scientists have worked to better understand the physical process involved so that they can help sufferers alleviate the worst symptoms.  The psychological side of blushing, however, remains a mystery.

Here are the physical reasons why we blush:

Your body’s sympathetic nervous system controls your fight-or-flight response to situations, and works instanteously and involuntarily.  When you get embarrassed your body releases adrenaline, which is a natural stimulant- it speeds your heart rate and breathing, slows your digestive system, and enlarges your pupils.  These effects all prepare your body to fight or run, and they account for the instant of shock you feel when you’re embarrassed.

The adrenaline release also dilates your blood vessels, called vasodilation, to improve oxygen and blood flow to the cells.  This is what actually causes you to blush.  Your facial veins respond to a signal which allows adrenaline to dilate the veins, increase the blood flow, and causing the red cheeks that show others you are embarrassed.

Of course, there are other ways that our cheeks become flushed as well:  being in an overly warm environment, drinking alcohol, and sexual arousal.  These forms of flushing are different, because blushing is only phenomenon caused by adrenaline.

So, why do we blush? Scientists can’t answer definitely, but there are some theories:

Psychologists in the United Kingdom have posited that blushing is one way of enforcing social systems that people have established over the years. Our blushing shows others that we know we’ve made a faux pas, and we are suffering for it. It serves as a physical, though non verbal request for forgiveness. The theory is that being embarrassed shows emotional intelligence, since in order to be embarrassed; you need to have empathy and intelligence to be able to feel how others do.

For a much more detailed guide to why people blush check out Blushing Breakthrough. Blushing is treatable.

If you have a problem with blushing, you may have heard that there is medication available to help with the problem. The advertising promises that if you just take this pill once a day, the problem will be certainly be gone for good. But is it that simple?

If the blushing problem is the result of vasodilation in the facial area, beta-blockers can help to alleviate the redness problem. However, it really only works when blushing occurs only during specific situations, like when you need to speak in public. Taking the medication an hour or so prior to the scheduled time will keep the redness in check. Beta-blockers also lower your blood pressure, so unless that is needed in your case you’ll need to be careful of how much you are taking. Be sure to consult your doctor in this regard.

There are also some herbal medications that purport to be helpful with blushing. They are made with GABA, magnesium, Passion Flower, Valerian, and Taurine, which are natural substances used to reduce anxiety, insomnia, and stress, and for maintenance of the central nervous system. This type of combination of herbs might be helpful in relieving the anxiety and stress caused when your blushing problem is psychological in nature. This medication works on the assumption that your blushing is an involuntary emotional response to stress and anxiety.

Understandably, your blushing seems very serious to you. Please be careful when checking into products that might be helpful with your problem, and keep your doctor informed of any pills, even herbal substances, as they can interact with other medications you take.