In China, adult pacifiers have become popular as tools to facilitate anxiety and help with sleep. Online stores say they sell over 2,000 pieces every month.
These mannequins are larger than the child’s and the costs between 10 and 500 yuans ( £122 to £6,000). Sellers say they reduce stress, improve sleep and even help people stop smoking. Some also say that they support better breathing, Southern China reported Morning Post.
The pacifiers come with transparent nipples and colored shields. Buyers share positive reviews online.
“It is high quality, soft and I feel comfortable sucking. It does not prevent me from breathing,” SCMP quoted one customer.
“It is amazing that it helps me to quit smoking. It gives me psychological comfort and makes me not so dirty during my period of smoke quitting,” another customer said.
Another person mentioned how she brought back the child’s sense of security. “I feel that I have been committed to safety since my childhood,” the customer said.
The statement is worried about the mental impact
However, experts are afraid of the mental impact of adults using children’s objects for comfort. Much fears that it could reveal deeper emotional problems.
Tang Caomin dentist warned that their use could damage their mouths after long hours a day. This can cause chewing pain and make it difficult to open the mouth.
“The mansion of the mannequin for more than three hours a day could change the teeth after a year,” Tang told the publication.
There is also a risk that the parts of sleep are stuck in the throat. According to psychologist Zhang Mo, these pacifiers could show that people’s emotional needs are not met.
“The real solution is not to treat the child, but to face the challenge directly and solve it,” she said.
This trend caused a huge debate on Chinese social media. One platform recorded more than 60 million views on this topic.
One social media user remarked: “This world has been so mad that adults use pacifiers.”
(Tagstotranslate) meaning of anxiety
