Can any of us say that we have never blushed? It is common to most under certain circumstances and very common for some people with particular medical and psychological conditions. It presents as a redding of the cheeks and sometimes can spread to the neck and other areas of the body. But most of the time it is the cheeks that give us away. So, what causes this condition?
Mainly it is a reaction to feelings of embarrassment, but could also be triggered by stress, shyness, fear, romantic inclinations, and other possibilities. One of the most difficult aspects of the reaction is that it is involuntary; just try to stop yourself from blushing when you feel it come on. Quite a few people suffer from social anxiety or social phobia. This can take the form of being afraid of social speaking right through to not feeling confident in any form of business or social company.
So, what is happening inside us to lead to blushing? We know that it is connected to an increase in adrenalin in our body. This has the effect of causing a chemical transmitter which is called adenylyl cyclase to send signals to the capillaries in the face to increase blood flow and thus show up as a reddening of the cheeks. Recent research has shown that there may also be other chemical factors at work. But the question remains, what is the point of blushing?
From the sufferer’s viewpoint, showing another person you are embarrassed appears to be strange. If this is a sign of weakness, then why hasn’t evolution done its work and freed us of it? Speaking of evolution, Charles Darwin in his book “The Expression of the Emotions in Man and Animals” published in 1872, describes blushing as “the most peculiar and most human of all expressions.”
However, it is possible the opposite is true. By showing openly and without conscious control that you are embarrassed about something, the other person will know that you are perhaps a little ashamed and wish to put things right. This would be a positive take on the subject and is quite likely why evolution has left it alone. Research is still being undertaken on this subject and further answers may arise in the future.
John Pullen 