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04-08-2008, 02:00 PM
|  | | | Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: New Mexico, USA
Posts: 896
| |  Thumb Sucking
Do you now or have you ever sucked your thumb or fingers? I ask because I am an incest survivor, and I sucked my index finger in public until I was 14. I am amazed that my teeth did not move at all from 24-hour pressure on them for 14 years. I was very insecure and sensitive as a child, as you can imagine, however, being the butt of school jokes and the prize of bullies didn't stop me from sucking my finger because my life was hell anyway. I wonder if I am the only one.
Last edited by 2quilt; 04-08-2008 at 02:09 PM.
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04-08-2008, 08:26 PM
|  | | | Join Date: May 2008
Posts: 210
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I didn't vote because I don't think I've ever sucked my thumb, except possibly briefly as a baby. |
04-08-2008, 10:43 PM
|  | | | Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Tampa, Florida
Posts: 2,208
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I had never thought of it in this context...I sucked my thumb as a child. Stopped when I was about 9 or so. But every time I get stressed my hands go up to my mouth/face area. Like I want to find the comfort that the thumb sucking provided.
I wonder if this is what led me to smoking at such an early age?
Lisa |
05-08-2008, 09:31 AM
|  | | | Join Date: Feb 2008
Posts: 491
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I lived in an abusive household growing up, and I sucked my thumb until age 8 or 9. I don't know if the two are related or not, though. |
05-08-2008, 02:29 PM
|  | | | Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Florida, USA
Posts: 1,221
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I sucked on 2 fingers until I was about 11 or 12. I even had large callus type growths on the spots where my teeth rested.
I still have a faint scar on both fingers from the callus due to the prolonged pressure of my teeth.
Marlene brings up an interesting thought----relating this to early life smoking. I was about 15 or 16 when I started smoking so maybe there is something to these two things being related! |
06-08-2008, 09:29 AM
|  | | | Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Illinois, USA
Posts: 812
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I didn't choose one, because I never sucked my thumb. |
06-08-2008, 01:30 PM
|  | | | Join Date: Dec 2006
Posts: 1,009
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I grew up in a house where the abuse was ongoing. I sucked my thumb until I was 12. I didn't stop by choice--the dentist put a contraption in my mouth that wouldn't let me do it anymore. Even now, when I'm sleepy or scared, I tuck my thumb under my chin and wrap my index finger around my nose in a sort of modified thumb-sucking position.
I'm a little embarrassed to admit it, but I carried a piece of a blanket until 12, too. I tied it up in knots and rubbed them to calm myself. I still tend to rub things, like the hems of my shirts, when I need to calm down. |
07-08-2008, 12:15 PM
|  | Administrative Editor PTSD | | Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Melbourne, Australia
Posts: 7,426
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Seychelle  I didn't vote because I don't think I've ever sucked my thumb, except possibly briefly as a baby. | I added a further option for yourself, myself and likely many others. Beyond being a baby / toddler where I no doubt sucked my thumb though do not remember... but kids often do that at some point.... I fall into that category. |
07-08-2008, 06:15 PM
| | | | Join Date: Mar 2008
Posts: 122
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I didn't vote because there didn't seem to be a category for me. I sucked my thumb until I was 18 - and occasionally after that. I don't recall when I started. |
14-08-2008, 05:32 AM
| | | | Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Ottawa, ON, Canada
Posts: 55
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Quote:
Originally Posted by kers I grew up in a house where the abuse was ongoing. I sucked my thumb until I was 12. I didn't stop by choice--the dentist put a contraption in my mouth that wouldn't let me do it anymore. Even now, when I'm sleepy or scared, I tuck my thumb under my chin and wrap my index finger around my nose in a sort of modified thumb-sucking position. | The only difference with me is that I was 13, same thing... dentist intervention. I do the exact same thing as kers now, in meetings, stressed, or scared, and my children have told me that I suck my thumb in my sleep as well, from time to time.
Until this poll, I never really thought of it as being because I was abused.
Interesting poll, thanks for posting it!
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