Anxious Adults Are Regressing To Infancy In An Attempt To Feel Less Stressed
It's an unconventional method that seems to be working for a lot of adults.
Antonio Guillem | Shutterstock With the large number of adults who feel anxious and overwhelmed because of life, finding a solution can feel out of reach. Adults in China seem to have taken an unconventional approach to stress relief by regressing to infancy.
The solution: adult pacifiers. The trend has slowly been making its way west, and now young adults are touting the benefits of sucking on a paci when they start to feel the weight of the world on their shoulders. While many people have claimed that it works, experts aren't as thrilled about it.
Anxious adults are regressing to infancy and using pacifiers in an attempt to feel less stressed.
According to Vice News, thousands of young adults in China are turning to adult-sized pacifiers as a way to help with their stress levels. Online shops have shared that they've sold around 2,000 pacifiers within an entire month because of the high demand.
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They're described as being bigger than the baby version and sell for between 10 and 500 yuan (US$1.4 and US$70). They're marketed as sleep aids, stress relievers, even tools you can use to help stop smoking.
Many people who have tried out the product have nothing but positive things to say about their experience. Some have admitted that it helps calm their nerves during work, while others claim that it helps them sleep through the night.
"I feel comfortable sucking it," one review read, according to Vice. "It gives me psychological comfort and makes me not so fidgety."
Psychologists have explained that this is called the "regression phenomenon." When life becomes overwhelming and hard, people tend to retreat into something that allows them to feel like kids again. The pacifier is more than just an item to help people relax; it's a sign of comfort and a reminder of simpler times for adults.
However, medical professionals don't quite think that people should be using pacifiers to help with their anxiety.
"If you sleep with a pacifier in your mouth," explained dentist Dr. Tang Caomin to Vice, "it can interfere with breathing, and in the worst case, there is a risk of suffocation."
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Dr. Ben Winters, an orthodontist, told The New York Post. “It wreaks havoc on swallow and bite patterns.” He went on to say that the changes to bite patterns can impact everything from your smile to your speech, and the only solution once these changes occur is to get braces.
However, despite warnings, which can include damage to your teeth and jaw, the trend has seemingly come over to America, with adults here buying and using pacifiers while they work and engage in normal activities. It just seems like the possible side effects should outweigh the desire to buy and wear a pacifier, alongside the fact that they're just not made or marketed for adults to be using.
A large majority of Americans are experiencing high levels of stress.
Despite the warnings and the unconventional method, adult pacifier use highlights the fact that adults worldwide, but especially in America, are really suffering mentally and emotionally. The fact that they are willing to go to extreme lengths for a modicum of relief is a sad reflection on the pressure of modern life.
A survey by the Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center found that nearly half of U.S. adults (45%) are stressed at least once a week because of the news or what’s happening on social media.
Stress can truly impact us on many levels. It doesn't just affect your mood and mental health, but your physical health as well, since stress is never good for the body, and especially for your heart. However, there are definitely better ways to combat feeling stressed that don't involve pacifiers.
Therapy, which is of course a luxury because of cost, is much more effective by getting to the root of the anxiety rather than using a tool like a pacifier to soothe. But there are definitely other, less expensive methods as well, including exercise, spending time in nature, and putting your phone down to engage with friends.
If using a pacifier is helping you when life feels hard, that's nothing to feel ashamed about. However, prioritizing rest and healthier solutions should be at the top of your list when it comes to improving your daily life.
Nia Tipton is a staff writer with a bachelor's degree in creative writing and journalism who covers news and lifestyle topics that focus on psychology, relationships, and the human experience.
