blushing & botox - a cautionary tale.

[Brimble]

Hi folks

Part of my social anxiety has to do with blushing - it gets out of hand for me and I despair of the problem. So much so I read on the internet about a treatment using Botox injected into the cheeks to reduce facial redness and I went for the treatment.

What a terrible mistake. The Botox collapsed the lower part of my face effectively making my top lip curl around my top row of teeth - I looked a bit feline/lion like and certainly disfigured. The effects have worn off a lot but the shock of the facial disfigurement almost sent me to heaven. I soldiered on just going to work (I was working in a private hospital and knew the medical staff had seen worse) but I avoided family. Never told them about how I couldn't cope with the blushing so I felt even more insane and alien.

Now what I tried to cover up - confided in no one but my GP - is out in the public domain and I feel an object of ridicule. I looked so weird folks couldn't fail to notice and I had the misconception that I was into vanity regards the Botox - couldn't work out whether to say "yes I am vain" rather than "I am shy and desperate for confidence" The hospital clerical staff ostracised me even more - mind you we didn't need a high intelligence (or high morals) as ward clerks so I pity them. But the sound of the ridicule still rings in my ears.

This experience has made my social anxiety much worse so I wanted to warn those similarly affected by blushing. I avoid social interaction more than ever and my family relationships have broken down - I didn't want them to know. So beware of what looks like a "quick fix" with all aspects of social anxiety.

Luckily The Open University sticks by me so it is entirely down to the organisation that I am still here! I should have a BSc in the next year or two. I study the social problem class from the Industrial Revolution to today and this is my only lifeline. I come from a mixed class family but am certainly an oddity - find it hard to fit in sometimes hence the fear of interaction.

I look after some wonderful kids a couple of afternoons a week and never get socially anxious with them - I have to snap out of it for them and amaze myself that I can. I can put everything into their welfare and forget about the cruelty of society towards us misfits. Kids are not prejudiced against diversity/difference - society eventually builds it into them.

Hope all is well with other forum users - would love to know if anyone has made a breakthrough with the social "nerves".

Thinking about Mad Hatter's comments I must say my neighbours are all OK and accept my brief but polite interaction as me being me. Next door have just had a beautiful little baby girl and that is something I can celebrate with them! Going to pop in and see her next week. Somehow I can put kids above social anxiety and cope - don't ask me how!

Take care
Brim

 

[ms_P]

Hi Brim.
It's called Erythrophobia and many people suffer from it. It's worse when you have social anxiety already.

Maybe if you googled the term, you would find something useful.

 

[cloudberry]

Thanks for sharing that with us all. My sister has blushing and sweating issues and it makes her very shy.

I do think though that you might try and tell your family. I am sure they know about your problem and will understand that you tried something with the best will in the world. Its not your fault it didnt work, after all.

I think you are very brave to have tried it. Its a total pig it was so bad, but its done now, try and put it behind you. You are worthwhile, with or without the blushing, shyness - and without the botox!

 

[trombone_babe]

I don't know if this would help you but apparently if you use special slightly green tinted makeup it counteracts any redness. I've just searched green makeup on google and found all sorts.

 

[Karen]

blushing

A self help technique is to "prime" your face so as to be always a little red. If you are red or hot you will see that it is far more difficult to blush. In fact, unless something really embarassing happens that even the most extravert person would blush over you won't blush. To prime yourself takes years of practise, but we all have years to live!! If you bend you head down and blow out until you will find your cheeks will redden slightly. If this doesn't work, rub your face can you feel where the redness comes from?? Then try doing this withoug rubbing when the feeling of redness is going away You might find at first you are too red, then use a green cream to go under foundation - sorry for you guys this won't be an answer but for girls this goes well. Then you have to keep doing this, it has helped me a lot although I get neck rashes doing it is much better than those awful blushes at the really wrong time!!