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| | thumbsuckersPage 2 of 2 (1, 2) | Thumb sucking in adults is far more popular than people usually assume. Note, it's typically indulged in private and this stealthful aspect precludes the fact that it is, indeed, probably engaged in by at least 2% of the adult population and, probably a bit more than that. Note, too, that it's quiet, nonintrusive, legal, free, without calories or drugs and a heck of a lot healthier than smoking, overeating, drugs and other more "adult" behaviors that constitute a form of self soothing. What it isn't is socially acceptable, mostly due to ingrained notions about maturity, most of which don't necessarily apply to any individual adult thumb sucker.
As to its damage to the occlusion, most adults who suck their thumb don't have these affects since braces typically result in the habit's ceasation. Therefore, those that have continued haven't stopped due to that reason and, therefore, have acceptable occlusion.
As to the germs, most adults who indulge make sure their thumb is clean, often protecting it from dirt or cleaning this digit for obvious reasons.
I think it may be useful for people to, first, get all the facts before coming to an automatic conclusion about any particular adult thumb sucker, unless their preconceived notions won't allow them to get past their initial feelings. | |
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Posted: 7/18/2011 8:31:17 AM | when i was in 2nd grade..there was a kid who literally sucked his thumb so hard that his baby teeth stuck almost straight out..........his folks did everything they could think of to no avail
one day....out of the blue...the teacher wrote in huge letters on the black board "JOHN DOE SUCKS HIS THUMB!
she left it there........within 3 days......he quit | |
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Posted: 7/18/2011 10:50:58 AM | what does every think of adult thumb suckers?
Are they just being childish? Looking for comfort?
Does anyone here suck their thumbs?
Should people be ashamed of sucking their thumbs?
I’m just looking for opinions here: D I have never met an adult thumb sucker. I think doing something like this indicates some sort of mental disorder which should be dealt with. That's my opinion. Thumb sucking is something children, YOUNG CHILDREN, do for comfort: they are simulating sucking the breast. It means they have not yet reached a level of maturity and independence as an individual. It means they feel insecure. If a child does not grow out of thumb sucking, it is a disorder. If an adult is a thumb sucker, the disorder is more serious. Should they be ashamed? No. Should they get counseling in order to deal with whatever is bothering them? Yes.
...a heck of a lot healthier than smoking, overeating, drugs and other more "adult" behaviors that constitute a form of self soothing... Though thumb sucking may not be as damaging to the body as smoking, over eating or drugs, it is still a disorder and is a symptom of a serious underlying condition which should be dealt with. We already know that drug, food and alcohol abuse are disorders and an indication of psychological problems which need to be dealt with. Thumb sucking is the same type of thing.
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Posted: 7/18/2011 4:18:00 PM | Raxarsr's teacher would have found herself facing a law suit if that had been MY child who was still sucking his thumb in the 2nd grade ...
that's HORRIBLE ... when I hear of things like this ... I PRAY that what goes around, truly DOES come around ... that teacher's probably sitting in a rocking chair somewhere right now, sucking her thumb! I hope the nursing staff are making fun of her!
I have a 21-year-old granddaughter who sucks her thumb in her sleep ... it makes me sad that the poor little thing has to suck her thumb to feel safe ... | |
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Posted: 7/18/2011 6:31:13 PM | why molly?....................his parents were gratefull that she got him to stop
she never said a word....never ridiculed him.......for all i know his parents asked her to help | |
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Posted: 7/18/2011 7:25:16 PM | just because a child gives up a behaviour that makes SOMEONE ELSE uncomfortable does NOT mean that child has given up the insecurity that caused the behaviour in the first place ... so now, he has to come up with some other way of comforting himself ... maybe he pees his pants ... maybe he pulls wings off insects ... maybe he comes up with something more socially acceptable ...
demeaning someone is never a way to correct a behaviour that, in truth, is only uncomfortable to someone else ...
"she never said a word ... never ridiculed him ..." are you kidding?
my father-in-law didn't like seeing my small children carrying around comfort blankets ... so ... he grabbed the blankets from their arms and, in front of the children, threw their precious blankets into the fire place ... the children screamed and sobbed as their blankets burned ... "he never said a word ... never ridiculed them ..." right? | |
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Posted: 7/18/2011 8:52:46 PM | I have never met an adult thumb sucker. I think doing something like this indicates some sort of mental disorder which should be dealt with. That's my opinion.
I've not only met, but I know, an adult thumb sucker (in private, of course, for a large part of my life)...and this man is a very successful man in his life, actually, in truth, he's a very successful man in many areas of his life, (that is, according to the 'status quo'...), he is a family man, a business man, a community man, and he is a man who is true to his word, and he demonstrates this time and time again, toward what he offers, and what he delivers toward his community?!? No one outside his family would know that he sucks his thumb...it's like the stories you hear when someone dies...and others say, after the fact, he had this/that/the other in his closet??
May I remind you, "VelmaValento" that the definition of "mental disorder" is subjective, and the label of "mental disorders'" is not set in stone by some 'professional'?? I'd recommend that you read some of Gail Hornstein's writings in order to understand what I'm trying to relay here?!?
Thumb sucking is something children, YOUNG CHILDREN, do for comfort: they are simulating sucking the breast.
I'm not so sure they do it simply and/or only for comfort, although comfort is true for some of the babies...."SURVIVAL" (for the young children/babies) comes FIRST prior to comfort, IME?!
Due to the fact, that all children follow their first imprint into their birth status, (and nothing more), how would first born infants know anything other than their survival status if they aren't nurtured into such a state of being born?!? I'd love anyone to help me answer this question?!
It means they have not yet reached a level of maturity and independence as an individual. It means they feel insecure.
Now you sound like nothing more than a snob, and there is nothing, IMO, more to say?!?
All the best!  | |
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Posted: 7/18/2011 10:33:05 PM | It means they feel insecure.
I have a 21-year-old granddaughter who sucks her thumb in her sleep ..it makes me sad that the poor little thing has to suck her thumb to feel safe
This is what Molly has said (above) about her granddaughter. She too says it is about the thumb sucker feeling a lack of safety. So I don't know why you are pointedly attacking me; I am simply expressing the position of the psychological community on this. If you have an issue with them, attack them. Your attack on me says a lot about you, nothing about me other than that I (as Molly appears to as well) accept the current psychology on the issue.
An adult who sucks his/her thumb has some kind of neurosis. Any kind of fixation, oral or otherwise, indicates a disorder. If your friend abused drugs, alcohol, food, etc., it would be a disorder too, as I said. I am not picking on people who suck their thumbs or being a snob; I am expressing current psychological belief on ths subject. Take issue with them, not me. | |
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Posted: 7/19/2011 2:48:21 PM |
Your attack on me says a lot about you, nothing about me
Please show me where I attacked you in my post?? I was simply disagreeing with your blanket statement that an adult who sucks his/her thumb must have a mental disorder.
I am not picking on people who suck their thumbs or being a snob;
I didn't say you were being a snob...I said, you were sounding like a snob, there's a big difference?!
Take issue with them, not me.
I have no issue with you...see above?! | |
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Posted: 7/19/2011 5:49:50 PM | | My girlfriend sucks my thumb in bed, and it's damn sexy. | |
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Posted: 7/19/2011 6:05:57 PM | ^^^^^^^^
Thumb? Dude, we need to have a talk...................
Paul K | |
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Posted: 7/20/2011 12:00:10 AM | | Well Paul, since you're a stickler for facts, sucking my thumb wasn't the "only" thing she was doing,,,, but this is a family-friendly website, so we will stop here. | |
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Posted: 9/19/2011 8:34:51 AM | | Being a thumb sucker myself, I think it's a good thing. In fact, I'd love to date another, fellow thumb sucking woman. Wanna? :) | |
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Posted: 9/19/2011 8:36:31 AM | Golly! You are SOOO lucky! :)
I've "exchanged" thumbs with other women but not every night. That would be so cool. | |
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Posted: 9/19/2011 12:45:39 PM | | I must admit, I have NEVER seen a forum that gets such weird questions. | |
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Posted: 10/15/2011 7:14:50 PM | Guess what VelmaVelento...you're wrong. Adults suck their thumb and many of those adults are highly successful at dealing with adult responsibilities. Their thumb sucking is a habit, like nail biting and smoking but, due to societal definitions, it's usually done outside of public view, but not totally, as any search on twitter.com would indicate. Further, go to thumbsuckingadults.com and really educate yourself, if you care to verify your incorrect conclusions.
I'm not saying that all adult thumb suckers don't have psychological problems but I'd be willing to bet that their psychological problems are significantly less than most other groups. After all, they have a free, legal, quiet, useful, convenient, nonintrusive, without drugs or calories, tension outlet. | |
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Posted: 4/5/2012 5:56:21 AM | It may, or may not, be a disorder. It depends on the person. It's a habit, much like crossing one's legs to feel comfortable. It's a posture that one got used to and habitualized into over time. The fact that it isn't socially acceptable is outside the bounds of its true parameters, sort of like nail biting and, yes, smoking. Are all nail biters and smokers suffering a disorder, no. Are some? Yes. But any disorder has little to do with their habit and more to do with the effects their possible "disorder" has on their functioning.
If it doesn't interfere with their life in any meaningful way, where's the disorder? If its symptomatic of mere habit, it doesn't measure up to any kind of disorder, period.
Most adult thumb suckers don't have any more disorders than the average, non tsing, public. | |
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Posted: 4/5/2012 6:01:23 AM | | The psychological "community" does not state that adult tsing is a disorder, per se, but that it MAY be symptomatic. It may not also and, in fact, usually isn't. There are no hard and fast rules when it comes to human behavior because the range of behaviors ride a continuum that usually need individual definition. The definitions available act more as guides and any serious professional uses them with tongue in cheek, looking at the individual for the real answers. | |
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Posted: 5/12/2012 11:48:07 AM | | I don't think she sucks her thumb in her sleep "to feel safe" but, rather, it's a posture of hers, a habit, like the comfort people get when, say, crossing their legs. Many adults suck their thumb while sleeping; it's within the range of normalcy. Read thumbsuckingadults.com | |
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