Social Anxiety, Blushing and ETS Surgery:
In this interview with Peter Drummond, Professor of Psychology, and blushing expert from Murdoch University in Australia, we go deep into the fear and pain behind chronic blushing and it's close link to Social Anxiety.
As a young PhD student, Professor Drummond suffered from migraines as well as blushing. During his research on the psychological component of the vaso-dilation of facial blood vessels in migraine, he made a link to blushing. That was the start of what was to become decades of research into the psycho physiological aspects of blushing or fear of blushing – and how this can lead to a phobic fear of going red, known as erythrophobia.
Watch this mind-opening conversation with Professor Drummond to discover:
- Why focusing on the fear of blushing (and not the blushing itself) is the key solving chronic blushing.
- How to use the principles psychologists use to treat “Simple Fears” to desensitize your fear of blushing, without putting yourself into fearful situations
- How to apply the principles of cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) to social anxiety as a simpler way of treating fear of blushing in social situations
- Why ETS Surgery (endoscopic thoracic sympathectomy) sometimes doesn’t work for the treatment of chronic blushing.
- Dr Drummond’s thoughts to the question: is it blushing that causes social anxiety – or is its social anxiety that causes blushing?
For a one-page 'Bloom Byte' summary of this interview click the image below
Once you’ve listened to the interview, let Peter and me know: what bit resonated with you most? What would you like to hear more about when it comes to blushing, fear of blushing, social anxiety or erythrophobia?
If you’d like to learn more about Professor Drummond’s research, you can reach out to him at: [email protected]
