Something worked today...

[westminster]

Woah. Am quite pleased today. Caught in a meeting unawares at work with no time to take valium or propranolol, and knew when it came to my time to talk (we went round the table outlining projects) the dreaded blush would start.

Under the table I grasped my left knuckles in my right hand and squeezed to the point of pain - not overbearing, but a definite ouch. The build up anxiety stopped and the onset of blushing seemed to be held back. Able to talk for a few minutes and felt no surge of heat like I'm used to, even holding decent eye contact with a senior colleague.

Challenge: the next time you feel a likely blush, cause yourself a little physical pain. Don't go mad - just a bit. I think the mind trains itself on physical pain over and above the psychological stress. Perhaps an evolutionary thing? The unconscious sees physical pain as more of a threat to survival? I don't know. Anyway, would be interested to hear if anyone else has any success with this simple and free method. Please feedback...

 

[mrb]

im glad your meeting went well lol as for the rest of it maybe ill try that one day next time im in an anxious situation ...

 

[chrome]

Will definitely give this a try!

 

[Kanye West]

wow thanks for the tip. Ill let you know how this goes.

 

[jakx]

Im going to try that too ..but i may not have a table under me ..i have found that rubbing my hands together really hard when talking helps stop a severe blush

 

[mikebird]

I'm due in an important interview tomorrow morning

along Marylebone Road.
First time in more than a decade of working in London (not living there)
that I won't need any underground.
Walking from Paddington

Anything said by them or me in the first 10 seconds can get me into a situation like yours, beyond control or recovery

I have from now, to relax
May not sleep well tonight. Have to be up at 6am

I did have an embarrassing moment yesterday at an employment workgroup session, breaking up with a suggestion from someone to call medic help, for which I said "no need" and glad to get my point reinforced. The type of swimming head was very different to me. Some loss of limb control. Recovery within minutes. Very rewarding to achieve a point when I'm sure that I don't have to run for Emergency. I vaguely remember a time many years ago when I fell over because I couldn't tie my shoelaces, sitting a long time in the street , when the laces looked like slithering snakes