Clinical Proof that Blushing is Controllable:
A Unique Therapeutic Discussion with 4 blushers

The audio below is in MP3 format. Click here to listen to more interviews.

In May of 2012 a college student, Brandon Thomas committed suicide due to depression caused by his blushing. Shortly after this tragedy MSNBC quoted Dr. Enrique Jadresic, a Chilean psychiatrist, whom it designated as the “ world’s expert in blushing”, as saying that and I quote, “pathological blushing is an uncontrollable reaction triggered by an overactive nervous system, and that it can wear down self-esteem and even the will to live”.

I certainly agree with the Dr. that it can wear down self-esteem and the will to live, but I strongly disagree with his statement that it is an uncontrollable response. In fact, I believe that his general diagnostic, and use of the word ” uncontrollable”, characterizes the medical community’s ‘and the mental health community’s misunderstanding of social anxiety in general, and erythrophobia , which is pathological fear of blushing, specifically. In other words the belief that blushing is uncontrollable enables the pathology!

There are 4 participants in this discussion which I have titled “Blush, Sweat, & Tears”. On a scale of 1-10 measuring therapeutic objectives (10 being the best), two patients have achieved a #9, one a #7, and one a #2. I do believe that if you listen carefully you will learn that blushing is not an uncontrollable response. If one is willing to invest in doing some really hard therapeutic work, healing and self-regulation is possible. Click here to access more clinical evidence in the form of interviews with real patients who have achieved success with blushing phobia and social-performance anxiety.