The relationship between blushing propensity, social anxiety and facial blood flow during embarrassment

Topical ibuprofen inhibits blushing during embarrassment and facial flushing during aerobic exercise in people with a fear of blushing

“…Convergent findings from several studies suggest that people with social anxiety focus more intently than usual on internal sensations during social interactions, and thus might overestimate autonomic responses such as blushing (Gerlach et al, 2001;Edelmann and Baker, 2002;Chen and Drummond, 2008). Nevertheless, there is some support for the view that anxiety associated with heightened expectations of blushing actually augments blushing (Dijk et al, 2009;Drummond and Su, 2012;Drummond, 2013). As people generally are unaware of how intensely they are blushing, contextual or emotional pointers might combine with physiological cues to reinforce blushing in people who are frightened of this response.…”

“…A subgroup of socially anxious people are particularly frightened of blushing (Voncken and Bögels, 2009;Pelissolo et al, 2012), primarily because they fear that others who notice the blush will regard them with derision or contempt. Surprisingly, during the majority of embarrassing laboratory tasks, the actual intensity of blushing is unrelated to perceived intensity or susceptibility to blushing (Drummond, 1997;Mulkins et al, 1997;Drummond and Su, 2012; but see Drummond, 2001) or to fear of blushing (Mulkins et al, 1999;Gerlach et al, 2001;Voncken and Bögels, 2009; but see Dijk et al, 2009). …”

Eye Contact Evokes Blushing Independently of Negative Affect

“…Increases in forehead blood flow during the quiz were associated with increases in anxiety, embarrassment and perceptions of blushing. Thus, blushing may have been driven, at least in part, by sympathetic arousal associated with negative affect (Shearn et al 1990;Drummond and Su 2012;Drummond 2013). Even with effects on anxiety, eye contact had little additional influence on blushing under these conditions.…”

Early maladaptive schemas in people with a fear of blushing

“…The fear of blushing (erythrophobia) is characterised by an extreme concern about blushing in front of others (Capozzoli, Vonk, Bögels, & Hofmann, ; de Vente, Majdandzic, & Bögels, ; Gerlach, Wilhelm, Gruber, & Roth, ; Pelissolo, Moukheiber, Lobjoie, Valla, & Lambrey, ). This fear often seems to be out of step with the actual intensity of blushing (Drummond & Su, ; Nikolić, Colonnesi, de Vente, Drummond, & Bögels, ). Although similar to other forms of social anxiety disorder, treatment‐seeking behaviours are comparable with those of body dysmorphic disorder, with an obsessive emphasis on finding a cure for blushing rather than on treating the underlying anxiety (Bögels et al, ; Laederach‐Hofmann, Mussgay, Büchel, Widler, & Rüddel, ).…”