Say No to Blushing!

What is blushing?

This is an involuntary physiological reaction that causes blood to rush to the face resulting in the red tinge we associate with blushing. It can be triggered by feelings of embarrassment, anxiety or even being in love.

Blushing is controlled by the sympathetic nervous system of which we have no control over. It is a natural reaction in our bodies, but, when it becomes too much and begins to interfere with our quality of life, it has to be stopped. So how can this be achieved?

Identify the root cause:

• Talk to your doctor and try to eliminate any underlying medical issues to your blushing. There might be a possibility that you are confusing flushing and blushing. Flushing suffuses almost the entire body with blood; making it hot and is not normally associated with emotions. Blushing on the other hand is restricted to the neck, cheeks, sometimes the whole face and the ears.
• Some foods especially the spicy ones or alcohol have been associated with blushing. Experiment by eliminating one by one and you just might land on the culprit.
• Once you find out the cause, do not try and avoid it. Instead embrace it and find out what exactly triggers the blushing, then, come up with innovative ways of stopping it right in its tracks. It might be, that, making eye contact with a particular person causes you excessive reddening of the face. Do you, perhaps, hold your breath when talking with them? Then learn how to breathe in and out and relax.

Don't put too much pressure on yourself:

Avoid saying to yourself; "This is the last time I am ever going to blush!" How unrealistic is that? The best way to go about this is to tell yourself; "I will not care as much as I normally would, in-case I blush today" pay less and less attention to it and in time you will find that your blushing episodes become less frequent and reduce in severity.

Work on your relaxation techniques:

This has to do with mental imagery. Try and paint different scenarios in your head that will help you relax. For example, imagine a draft of cool air blowing on your over-heated face and cooling it down, or how your body feels like when inside a swimming pool. This sends a signal to your mind to become calm and your body to cool down.

Surgical intervention:

This should be the last resort after all else has failed. The procedure is known as Endoscopic Thoracic Sympathectomy (ETS) and it destroys the nerve in the sympathetic system that is responsible for blushing. This surgical procedure may be contraindicated for you, but, do not despair. Look at the next option below;

Hypnosis:

The brain is re-trained on the impulses it sends to your body in-order to cope with certain situations. The familiar scenarios that trigger blushing like stress could be handled by the brain much better if it tells your body to relax. A good hypnotist can do this for you. Alternatively, you can buy or download self-hypnosis tapes and use them.

In conclusion, blushing can be brought under control. Make a conscious effort and choice to embark on this journey today and do not be deterred. Setbacks might occur along the way but pick yourself up, shake off the dust and soldier on and eventually blushing will become a distant memory.

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