Social blushing: a neuropsychiatric disorder?

Until recently, social blushing was rarely discussed in the medical literature. It was usually considered only a normal and occasional physiological reaction associated with emotions such as embarrassment brought on by social situations. This has changed in recent years with attention increasingly being paid to blushing, either in the context of social anxiety disorder or in its own right. Some argue that blushing has adaptive value, so it may not make sense to treat people for blushing, a view we do not agree with since the blushing experience is not the same for everyone and those who seek medical help do so because their blushing impairs their quality of life. Furthermore, the fact that a symptom is adaptive does not place it beyond the scope of medical treatment. Quite the contrary: physicians treat many symptoms that cause discomfort, e.g. pain and vomiting, which may be regarded as adaptive, yet few doubt the value of treating such problems. The same is true for blushing. Recognizing its potential adaptive value does not mean that it should not be treated. The distress of those who blush easily and seek help justifies attempts to find ways to help them. This article underlines the need to distinguish between normal social blushing and pathological social blushing and, at the same time, reviews current available treatments for individuals who seek help for this condition.