How to Stop Blushing

woofytalk

Well-known member
Blushing crushes your confidence. It’s been proven over and over again. The psychological effects of a persistent blushing problem can really affect you mentally after time. Soon enough, you begin to blush at just the thought that you might possibly blush. The redness becomes perpetual because anticipating your embarrassing complexion actually CAUSES the blushing to occur.

It’s a frustrating cycle for anyone who struggles with the self-consciousness brought on by this disorder. After a while, you really start to feel defeated by blushing. Perhaps the hardest part is finding a treatment that works fast. The fact is, blushing is triggered internally, unaffected by external treatments.

It’s not like excessive sweating where you just apply a topical treatment or condition your skin using an at home alternative remedy. Therefore, the solution to this problem must be attacked from a mental standpoint to be most effective. There are physical treatments for blushing as well but over 90% of people who suffer from this disorder (that means you) CAN overcome it using the exercises below.

Here, you’ll learn 5 very effective treatments for facial blushing. The tactics take practice to perfect. However, if you want to REALLY stop blushing permanently, you’ll want to learn and implement these exercises as soon as possible. Let’s get started and put an end to this embarrassing problem!

Building Your Confidence is the first Step!

It all starts here. Do you know what the number one cause of blushing is? Shyness! A lot of people resign to the fact that their lack of self confidence has doomed them to a life of continuously red appearance. But it doesn’t have to be this way!

Engaging in confidence building exercises will “take you out of your own head”. What I mean by that is, your thought will shift from your own insecurities to your own strengths. Self-consciousness is what brings the redness out. You feel like all eyes are on you. If you’re not proud of yourself, the feelings of embarrassment and shame will take over and brighten your complexion in no time.

Here are some GREAT ways to boost your confidence.

1. Start a new hobby or gain a new skill

Self improvement is one of the best ways to feel good about you. Get into the habit of taking on a new skill to master. It’s this process of growing and expanding your horizons that empowers your confidence. Mastering a skill will transcend into a feeling that you can do anything in life. When you overcome one obstacle or learning curve, you’ll build faith in your ability to tackle whatever comes your way.


2. Join an online forum where you can meet other people with your same condition

Finding other people who also suffer from facial blushing will give you a nice comfort level with your problem. Accepting your blushing is an important part of building confidence because you need to learn to love EVERY part of yourself – including this perceived “flaw”. Online communities bring a sense that you’re not alone and that you’re completely normal (and you are btw :)). Remember, if you do join an online community that helps with facial blushing, you want to engage in positive conversations about blushing. Try not to just lament about how it’s ruined your life. Instead, brainstorm with others on different tricks you can use to overcome it.

3. Exercise and Eat right

Build self esteem with a pumped up image. Exercising is about more than just getting ripped. You’ll have renewed energy and a sense of accomplishment after every workout. Your health should be your number one priority. When you have a consistent exercise regimen, you’ll feel responsible and more positive about your overall demeanor.

4. Face your fear

Putting yourself in situations everyday that you KNOW will make you blush is a hard but powerful way to overcome your problem. Here’s how it’ll go down. You’ll basically put yourself in front of people and social situations that you know will freak you out. It works best if it’s in front of people you don’t know or won’t have to see very often.

Then you force yourself to hang out knowing that you’ll get red in the face. It’ll be a way that you can practice blushing in front of people on a regular basis. Instead of fighting to hide it , feel the embarrassment of it. Constantly punish yourself by exposing yourself to this uncomfortable encounter.

If you’re practicing positive thinking exercises, in time you’ll learn to accept and even disregard you blushing reaction.

The funny thing about blushing is that once you stop really caring about it, it tends to go away on its own. The real trick is learning to let go of your fear and take a “whatever” kind of attitude about your appearance. Vanity needs to go out the window. You are who you are – and that’s a quality you need to love and embrace.

5. Therapy

If you have trouble making friends or even forcing yourself into social situations, it’s time to start speaking with a therapist. Get to the bottom of where you shyness and low self-esteem derives from.
Therapy is a wonderful way to learn how to love yourself again. Nurturing your emotions and living without fear is the only way to enjoy life to the fullest.

A licensed therapist won’t judge you. Your conversations are kept confidential. You have a partner in overcoming your blushing. Take advantage of a third party to gain a new perspective on your life and your concerns. Your perspective, after all, is your reality. Get a new perspective on life and you can transform your life any way you wish!
 

tgates209

Active member
Great points and great post. I agree that it's all about changing our current patterns and replacing them with positive things that will slowly change us from the inside out. That's been my approach and I am slowly gaining relief from this dang blushing. Still a long way to go though.
 

Ihateit

Well-known member
I read the 'eat right' bit and just thought that is impossible for me. Since my FB has affected me really badly since I started my new job a few weeks ago I have not eaten much. I have only eaten lunch 2 days in the past 15 days. I can only manage a small bowl of cereal in the mornings and then I leave most of my dinner in the evenings. I am worried that an eating disorder will get added to my list of problems. I suffered with an eating problem a couple of years ago, it was not bad, but the doctor was really worried about my weight. Sometimes I wonder why so many horrible things happen all because of the FB. It just does not make sense.

I have tried therapy, trying to face my fear, it does not help me. These all seem like changing the way you think mentally which in all fairness I have tried with no success, for me FB is not a mental problem it is a physical problem.
 

Nicholas

Well-known member
I have tried therapy, trying to face my fear, it does not help me. These all seem like changing the way you think mentally which in all fairness I have tried with no success, for me FB is not a mental problem it is a physical problem.

What did you try to do? Facing what kind of fear? Fear of blushing? It's something very difficult, I have realized. In order to not be afraid of blushing, you should be able to blush freely and accept it, which is the most difficult thing to do. This technique is the only one that works against panic attacks. But blushing is not only an anxiety problem, it's also one that has to do with repressed emotions, I guess. Try to think of all the things that would make you blush... or think of some situations, and try to notice what the things that make you blush are. I have noticed in my case they are all things, situations or thoughts that make me uncomfortable because I have repressed emotions or fears.
Like, I might get hot flushes if someone asks me about my studies or my life, because I don't feel comfortable with the fact that I have had to give up studying and I feel like a total loser with no life now.
That's the truth. Try to think of those things.
Take care. :)
 

tgates209

Active member
I completely understand your frustration, Ihateit. I felt and often still feel the same way at times. Changing your mental view towards blushing and the actions to overcome it are not really the same. We all mentally feel that, well, blushing sucks. But the things you have tried are the actions needed to overcome the issue. Always remind yourself that this, like anything else, will take time. If you have an activity that you're very good at, look at the road you've travelled to get to where you are with it. I'm sure it's been long and bumpy at times, but over that time those baby steps have added up to a huge success. For instance, working out and getting into shape is a long road and should also be a lifetime road. Most people (maybe 90%) start out with the best intentions to become physically fit, but after a few months and a little muscle pain, they look at themselves and say, "I've made NO progress!!" and then quit. The same goes for overcoming blushing and reprogramming your mind. It is going to be a long road for us. But just as the person who started out training, if they'd stuck with it, they'd be a different person physically. They would've encountered unmotivated times where they just go through the motions but still stuck with it. One day they turn around and realize they are in shape. Same with FB. Do NOT give up on the techniques you learned and attempted. Revisit them. Work them and find which ones fit you best. Over time you'll see a small victory here then there, then one day you'll turn around and realize it is no longer life consuming but at a manageable scale - if not gone completely.

To face your fear does not mean to go headstrong at FB and try to resist or beat it, but to face the challenge and not give up on consistently doing those things needed to overcome it. Resisting it only makes it worse as we all know.

Keep at it. I will too.
 
U

UnregisteredDUH

Guest
starting about a year ago, i blush at sooo many things. the worst is when im in band class. the room is always hot and we're basically sitting in a huge group with everyone looking at eachother. I'll be playing my instrument then I'll look around and see everyone just looking my way and all around me. it makes me feel so exposed and my face goes soooo red! i absolutely hate it. Or in spanish class the chairs are set up so u see everyone across the room. the teacher randomly calls on people at any time and she ALWAYS picks me. im on the spot and everyones staring at me and i blush like a tomato! I blush so much it drives me CRAZYY! i guess the only thing that helps is to realize that freaking out makes it worse and luckily.. it only lasts about 10 seconds! gosh i hate it though. i blush just talking about blushing. omg i am sooo happy its summer. the last semester of english was SPEECH CLASS. we had about 20 speeches we had to do and blushing was my worst fear of all. but for some reason when i got in front of everyone i made myself relax and thought only about what i had to say. i rarely blushed which surprises me sooo much considering my face goes red from simply talking to my friends. i always think.. "hey, if i can manage to not blush in front of 25 people, i should be able to not blush when simply walking down the freaking street!"
 
B

Blushlover

Guest
Everything your saying is more than correct, we must learn to accept this problem to truely overcome it, whether that takes hypnosis or nlp programming etc. I have been visiting a hypnotherapist for the past month or so and I cant afford to keep up the sessions anymore.The problem has not gone away, however I havent only received a loss of cash from my sessions.... i am now slowly starting to realise that the one thing that is makeing this problem so big is my own mind. If i can learn to accept it, it wont effect me anymore, and that goes for all facial blushers.
One thing that i really learnt from the hypnotherapy sessions was how to relax on a deep level and to hypnotise myself. I strongly suggest doing this as it is listed as one of the rules above also, learning to really switch yourself off and even talking to yourself (in your head) with positive regards towards blushing and allowing yourself to really become aware of how little a problem blushing is and that you need to learn to accept yourself the way that you are is the best way to overcome it.
I havent overcome my blushing.... yet. I have high hopes for beating it also. I feel that the key to beating this is to accept. And when we truely accept it in our minds it will be disgarded.

Think of blushing as a monster, a monster which scares the shit out of you and makes you feel so uncomfortable you want to run away from it every time you see it. The problem is you cant run away from it, its a monster that lives inside your head. The only way to slay this beats is to show it love, and to forgive it for being such a mean and scary bastard, haha. Remember blushing is a part of you!

Hope yous can make out my intentions with all that rambling haha,

peace and love.
 

Feathers

Well-known member
WOW, interesting. I wonder if these things can relate to crying too?
Quite possibly, I guess, hmm...
 

tgates209

Active member
I agree. One thing I did in the past but had to stop was Toastmasters. The table topics are very much related to my blushing situation. Being called on unexpectedly or being asked to speak about something I am not sure of causes severe blushes (among other things). I plan on joining a TM again if possible. Not only will it directly address my blushing and rebuild my confidence in unexpected situations, but I'll make some great new friends.
 

ajohnson2

Member
One idea I tried last night was attending meet up groups I was genuinely interested in (e.g. Technology) that also have a networking component. Thus, I get to practice facing the social anxiety (sweating for me), get to network with people which could help down the line, and at some events listen to some interesting talks. Well worth the time and more pragmatic than Toastmasters (which I've done as well).
 

MUBRG

Member
There are a small number of researchers around the world who study blushing in order to understand it and help people who suffer erythrophobia. A really good book to go to in order to discover what is known currently is - Crozier, W. R., & de Jong, P. J. (Eds.). (2013). "The Psychological Significance of the Blush". Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. It will give a good overview on all the research by those researchers working in the field. In our university we are also working on research, with the current study (if you are interested) accessed via the Facebook page "Erythrophobia / érythrophobie".
 

Cogoam

Member
Hi everyone this is my first reply on this forum.
Ever since childhood I've felt my face hot when I was a teenager I became aware that my face was red raw in most situations . Well what was it thinking of girls wanting a sexual experience the usual stuff I found if I got really drunk I had lots of confidence really this was false but I forgot about my face Then wham even worse it comes back with a vengence .I've been reading other member s accounts of their blusing and I can totally empathise with you all. Well I found myself if I have a sexual experience alone or with a woman my face becomes hot I know this is normal but then I go th rough this cycle of blushing
As all of you know how it is it seems to be a pattern of don't want to then you go red then a cycle perpetuates I've noticed no one mentions any sexual reactions as I have or is this a shame based reaction for me but the pattern of blushing is the common factor regardless of how its triggered I m in my fifties now and reading others accounts I can see that this is an overwhelming factor which has ruined my interactions with people I'm always apprehensive about going red I've had therapy in the past for personal stuff and going redtalk about it later Well the blusiing



did get less and I had bette rregard for my self , but at the moment this year especially personal situation I find my self in and its beginning to control me with such a power I just wish it would F,............ O,........ Excuse my language but I have really suffered because of this will tell more soon
 

Cogoam

Member
Thank you for you're welcome and understanding Valentin-mex. , hope you are well

Well thought I'd share an event its quiet interesting for me any way, at work couple of weeks ago sitting at tea break with male co workers usual group used to the situation still feel as if my face is red is it red or am is just got the heats going to my face on shit I feel ,,.,...,.. well every ones who's a blusher or a flusher knows this feeling anyway.
Mainly cope not bad any way this time another guy sits with us ( had issues in the past with this guy not too keen on him ) any way whoosh face red seriously red WTF. Sweating trying to ignore people looking pretending nothings happened , *******s look at phone tea break hurry up get it over with . That was horrible,..,...... I mean just heart sinking baaaad. Around guys as well what a sap.........

OK forward a couple of week same sort of scenario felt hot manage to sit it through did not feel to bad. I shared the other event with a good work buddy basically he sad yes you were red but its not as bad as you think it doesn't notice like you think any way if you leave the table like you've done before ( I have forgot to say ) people wonder whats wrong ...... Interesting that?????
???? Cogoam
 
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