College Student Kills Self Because He Blushes Too Much?

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A mother and father have spoken of their devastation at the suicide of their 20-year-old son, who killed himself after silently suffering with uncontrollable blushing for years.

Brandon Thomas, a University of Washington student, jumped from the 11th floor of his Seattle dorm on May 29 - and left a five-page letter blaming the suicide on his despair caused by the disorder.

'I am tired of blushing,' Brandon, from nearby Renton, wrote. 'It is exhausting to wake up every day and have to find little ways to avoid blushing situations.'

Since the age of 15, he had suffered from chronic blushing, an uncontrollable reaction triggered by an overactive nervous system that affects between five and seven per cent of the population.

Grief: Steve and Dawn Thomas have been left devastated by the suicide of their 20-year-old son Brandon (pictured) who was plagued by chronic blushing since he was 15 years old.

His parents, Steve and Dawn, and twin brother, Devin, are now speaking out about the little-known affliction which humiliated their son and brought on what they called 'a secret life of torment'. They told Msnbc.com that their son would blush in class, on the phone, while driving or when he thought about blushing earlier in the day. They added that he would take the stairs rather than the lift from the 11th floor in his dorm to avoid seeing anyone he knew inside the lift's close confines, which he knew would make him blush.

'I’ve had people come up to me, even at his service, and say "I know, I blush, too, when I’m in public", his mother said. 'That is not what this is about.'

Struggle: Brandon, pictured with a friend and his twin brother Devin, left, would blush uncontrollably even if he was not aware of it. He would avoid social situations in fear that it would happen.

The world's expert on the condition, Dr. Enrique Jadresic, a Chilean psychiatrist who suffered from it himself, said some people are unable to control their blushing and the associated shame.

WHAT IS CHRONIC BLUSHING?

Brandon suffered from chronic blushing, which experts believe affects five to seven per cent of the population.

Blushing occurs when brain signals blood vessels in the face to widen to allow more blood to flow through - an involuntary action brought on by emotions such as embarrassment or anger. It is also has other triggers, such as hot food or alcohol.

But for chronic blushers, there is often no trigger and it can occur at any time. It begins around puberty in people with an increased sympathetic nervous system.

It can be treated with hypnosis, therapy and anti-anxiety drugs, such as beta blockers. There is also a controversial surgery that cuts the nerve in the torso that controls flushing, but this only has 50 per cent success.

'Blushing, which presumably is a minor symptom, can 

erode not only self-esteem, but also the will and desire to live,' he wrote in his book, When Blushing Hurts.

It occurs when the brain signals blood vessels in the face to widen to allow more blood to flow through - an involuntary action brought on by emotions such as embarrassment or anger.

For chronic blushers, there is often no trigger.

It can be treated with hypnosis, therapy, anti-anxiety drugs - including beta blockers - and a surgery that cuts the nerve in the torso that controls flushing, but this only has 50 per cent success.

When Brandon finally worked up the nerve to tell his mother about the condition last fall, he was already in the grip of shame and depression. He called her in tears, she recounted.

'I was sitting there trying to make sure I chose my words carefully: "OK, Brandon, you know we all blush",' she said. 'And he said, ‘Mom, no, you need to just go look it up.'

She went on: 'The biggest thing for him and the biggest thing for all the people who suffer with chronic blushing is the shame. People do think of it as trivial because we all blush.'

Outgoing: Friends said they were shocked by the suicide as, despite his secret battle, Brandon was active and popular at school and university.

Pain: He called his parents in tears about the blushing but by the time they sought help, it was too late.




She added that he often was entirely unaware that he was blushing, and when people pointed it out, he became even more self conscious. In turn, this led to a fear of blushing, called erythrophobia.'Since it’s visible and uncontrollable and frequent, you are always on the alert. You dread blushing or the possibility of it happening,' Jadresic explained.


For Brandon, the fear and shame became too much. Despite seeking medical help with his parents and plans to visits experts this summer, he took his life in May.
'He was so hopeless by the time [he told us],' his mother said. 'He believed in his mind that he was never going to have a successful career, and that he would never have a successful relationship because of this.'

Scene: He was found dead on the grounds of his hall of residence at the University of Washington, Seattle after jumping from the 11th floor on May 29 this year.


Despite his shame for his condition in his lifetime, in his suicide note, he asked his parents to spread awareness of it.'One of the reasons he took his life is that if he took this drastic measure, it would raise awareness,' Dawn Thomas said. 'He wanted his death to have an impact.'


They are working on a website providing information about the condition. It is still under construction, so anyone who wants to know more can email: info@chronicblushinghelp.com.


Culled from The Daily Mail UK.


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