i know that even teenagers and even older people do so. ...
so basically, my question is why people suck their thumbs. and if you see it as ''a pacifier that never falls'', i can change my question to ''why do we even NEED a pacifier?''. :)
is it somekind of lack of self-belief?
thank you in advance.
2007-10-17 01:47:11 · 18 answers · asked by Anonymous in Social Science ➔ Psychology
people, as i said, basically my question is why older people suck their thumbs! babies might have that instinct, but why do some people continue, while some other stop?!
2007-10-17 01:53:59 · update #1
Adults sucking their thumbs? I have seen teen and young adults suck their thumb, placing their hand over the other hand to conceal their sucking. Sucking is a safe, secure feeling, especially when one is stressed and looking for comfort. We all react differently under various tense circumstances, whether it is a teen being disciplined or an adult at work dealing with criticism, it isn't pleasant. These people were allowed to comfort themselves, or suck when stressed as infants into childhood and they never learned to deal with the problems at hand. Why do people bite their fingernails, or for that matter, smoke, probably the same reason others suck their thumbs, it feels good and comforts them when they are under extreme pressure and can't handle it emotionally.
2007-10-17 05:44:17 · answer #1 · answered by Nancy S 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Infants are at the height of their "getting-to-know" phase. Their senses are at the most sensitive at that stage, including their mouth. It's normal for infants to generally put things into their mouth to distinguish textures, tastes and quality of food or things. Adults who do this is because their parents did not correct that mannerism while they're growing up. That's why, they grow up with it, of course, it's not normal. A pacifier is just an "alternative" for them to stop sucking on their thumbs. Also, it's the way they feed. Breast-feeding involves the sucking mechanism of infants, therefore useful. If infants don't have that mannerism, how the heck can they feed? Their facial muscles are not yet developed enough to use their jaws for chewing solid food. Logical isn't it?
2007-10-17 01:55:11 · answer #2 · answered by archangel 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The basic human sucking reflex produces pleasant feelings derived from obtaining sustenance.
No nipple available ... a thumb will do.
Far Left Wing Liberal Democrats have a very high incidence of this aberrant behavior ... seen Jimmy Carter lately? He should go back to his old habit because talking really is not his forte what with the dementia so self-evident.
2007-10-17 01:52:16 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Babies like to suckle. They obviously cant suckle their mother, or a bottle 24/7, so to keep them happy they either pick their thumbs, or we provide them with a binky. I suppose adults who do it either never broke the habit , or reverted back to it as a "comfort" thing. From what I'm told, if my mother hadn't forced me to get over the habit, I'd probably be an adult thumb sucker too. She said I was attached to my pacifier and freaked out whenever I didn't have it. I was almost 3 by the time I broke the habit. Luckily for me , she forced me to stop depending on it. I bet adult thumb suckers were never forced to stop, and lets face it, when you're an adult, who has been doing something for literally your entire life, that's going to be a hard habit to break.
2007-10-17 01:51:50 · answer #4 · answered by Dani 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Its a comfort action related to the secure and loving feeling of nursing at a mother's breast. Unlike a pacifier, the thumb is always available to be used to soothe.
2007-10-17 01:56:58 · answer #5 · answered by Diane M 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
How cute :) In one of my ultrasounds, my baby had her foot in her mouth :) We couldn't resist and we found out that she's a little girl! I think 12 weeks is a little early. We had to wait all the way until 21 weeks!
2016-05-23 03:33:39 · answer #6 · answered by hang 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It comfort for them. I think it relates to eating. which makes most people feal good and relax. So basically for babies it easier to reach then the nipple. And it becomes Habbit and a form of relaxation and comfort so it continues when they get older.
2007-10-17 01:53:08 · answer #7 · answered by Tino 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Babies suck their thumbs because they are used to it as if they were their mom's breasts. Really, the habbit is bad for teenagers or older peolple.
2007-10-17 02:01:10 · answer #8 · answered by osi kwa stat nig afr 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
not all babies do this..my brother did it for the longest time and other two brothers didn't..and I don't remember doing it..maybe the thumb is a subatue for the mother's nipple.
we really don't understand human behavior all that much we are still a mystery onto our own self's..
2007-10-17 01:53:44 · answer #9 · answered by skippy2008 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Sucking reflex that can be comforting to most babies and even some adults (who may unwillingly fixated in this stage).
2007-10-17 01:54:18 · answer #10 · answered by Teddy Bear 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋