Why does my face get flushed light pink/red and warm in social situations?!


Question: Why does my face get flushed light pink/red and warm in social situations!?
I know it's likely my anxiety and stress issues!. I'm on a high dose of Zoloft which has helped alot with the stress and anxiety!. When I am at home my face has a nice skin tone, then when I'm at college my face gets warm/hot!. I'm not sure why my faces get's a slight color change but, it's really not that bad!? I just wanna know, are their options for that, other than anxiety medication!? What is the condition called!? Face usually turns pinkish and some red!. I don't drink, smoke, or have lots of caffeine or sugar!. Thanks in advance for all possible answers!.Www@Answer-Health@Com


Answers:
At home (where you're comfortable and emotionally safe), and at school/in social situations specifically, you're blushing!. I grew up with PTSD and ADD which, coupled, can cause a person to be very self-conscious in social situations or new settings!. Otherwise, just plain being shy, generalized anxiety disorder, social anxiety disorder, et cetera can cause this!. I know you're asking this from a "why does my face get warm/hot" standpoint, but that is a side effect of the underlying issue of probable anxiety!.

Medications (generally) treat the symptoms!. When anxiety was especially bad for me, I would take !.25mg of Xanax, right when I felt the anxiety coming on!.

However, after years of therapy, life experiences, and learning to be comfortable in my own skin, I no longer need the Xanax or anything else!. The anxiety simply does not rise to that severe of a level, anymore!.

And as to our face blushing, specifically - it is physically controlled by your sympathetic nervous system (SNS), which is involuntary!. It becomes more active during times of stress; you may have heard of the fight-or-flight response, which is directly controlled by the SNS!.

The blushing is probably the result of your heart rate increasing, breathing increasing, blood pressure rising, and the blood rushing into the capillaries (tiny end of blood vessels -- pinch a finger tip and see the color go from white to pink, again --- that is capillary refill) in the skin on your face!. I know that when I blush, it seems like it only takes one beat of my heart when I suddenly feel somewhat nervous, and my face is red!

I also could be thinking that I'm completely calm, and then if someone invades my personal space, my SNS kicks in and that person is suddenly asking me why I'm blushing!. I didn't know, before, but now I simply tell them that they stepped into my personal space and ask them politely to remove themeselves from it!.

You're honestly lucky that it doesn't happen the other way around - you COULD be someone who, instead of having their SNS kick in appropriately, loses blood in their head/face and actually faints!. Would you rather get a red face when dealing with a potential threat, or pass out!?

Another example, from my personal experience, is that I still have some posttraumatic reactions!. Sometimes, someone could unexpectedly touches me from behind while I am in a situation where it wouldn't be someone I am close to, such as at work, walking through the mall, and especially at a bar!. My immediate, unconscious, SNS reaction is usually to simultaneously yell and also to swing an elbow or fist to where a person's head MIGHT be!. This is actually a reation I DO NOT want to change, for it protects me in dangerous encounters!. People close to me and people at work know that I have this reaction, so they know that they need to respect me, my body, and my personal space, especially when I do not see them coming!.

A way of dealing with this, if you're that concerned, could be simply more exposure!. As you emotionally learn (not cognitively, mind you) that you are safe at school/in social situations, your SNS will probably be less likely to react because you will be less likely to have anxieties to accompany these situations!.

You should consider counseing, however, if you are dealing with a large amount of stress at school, socially, or have had a trauma that may have triggered this!. A life change (such as leaving home for college) is a significant enough event that your unconscious may simply be having a difficult time adapting -- this is normal, but if it is causing you problems, you should consider seeking assistance!.

Good luck!!Www@Answer-Health@Com

Probably just anxiety!. If your adrenaline rises, blood flow is increased and can cause your face to flush!. Another possibility: my sister in law gets bright red and flushed very easily and it's actually a form of rosacea!. Have to talked to a skin specialist about it!? Www@Answer-Health@Com





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