I did, so did my kids.... 

In your twenties though? Do you think it's an hereditary thing?

yeah...  

though I only do it occasionally when going to sleep, or really really monging on the sofa!.   Bloody hard habit to break!   Cos I struggled with it I was insistent my kids had dummies (you can take a dummy away, unlike a thumb)...  worked fine with my daughter... but my boy then just started sucking his thumb.   We are still struggling with him!

dunno... but its a chemical release thing!  Hence the 'addiction'.

It releases endorphins (incl serotonin - which is a relax hormone).... happy hormones!

I think it is a comfort thing.  I only gave up my dummy when my Dad chucked it onto the open fire at aged twelve.  I didn't actually suck at that age but held it in my hand under the pillow.

I still sleep to this day with my right hand under the pillow.

thats how I finally stopped sucking my thumb to get to sleep!!!   And yeah... I still sleep like that too!

LOL.... I don't know...maybe. 

my daughter is 24 and sucks her thumb . i keep checking her so my grandson doesnt copy her but he has a dummy ..........  i wish i gave her a dummy as you can throw that away . my son was 5 and i told him to put his dummy in the bin he was at big school now  and he did btw  her right thumb is tiny compared to her left and she hates the fact her teeth are crooked but its her habit she says same as me smoking 

Ditto.... and I still sometimes twiddle my hair with the other

 My cousin used to do that. Sometimes his mum had to cut his hair because he had twiddled it into knots.

LOL..... bless

My niece only stopped sucking her thumb when her Grandma knitted a "thumb sock" - it worked within a week.

It's so interesting these things we take as comfort from childhood! My grandson falls asleep tugging on his mums (or my, or anyones hair) he really has a thing for it.

I just find it a bit disturbing to see adults sucking their thumb ................I was a dummy baby myself ...............I suppose once it's gone - it's gone. My kids were the same.

my mum has always sucked her thumb, she still does.

Nothing goes in my mouth if it aint cooked  

Oh dear.  Have you told Sir_Ann_Average.  He may want this info on a "need to know" basis.

OMG! How old is she? And under what circumstances does she suck her thumb? I'm sorry if it sounds judgemental but ..........to see adults sucking their thumbs is just soooooooo inappropriate IMO.

my parents tried everything with me....    they tried to make me wear this contraption when I was a teenager... was a dental plate (like the removeable braces)... but had a bar across the roof of the mouth bit... so unable to get thumb in.

Stupid idea...  just removed the plate & sucked my thumb.  Broke three of them I did!

He's bit the dust and probably that was the reason why 

but you are unlikely to see it Soozy..   cos its something you do when you're totally at ease.. hence not in public.

inappropriate is a dodgy word to use for it...  its not a choice ... or is it... arghhhh... its really hard to explain it.... 

its as if that is where it should be.

In my nieces case it was a subconcious act.  she put her thumb in while asleep.  But the feeling of sucking on a fluffy woolen sock made her take it again.

when I had my brace fitted my Orthodontist told me I would no longer be able to bite my nails. I soon found a way.

hahahahaha  
Btw....I've never really seen 'grown' people sucking their thumb...but I wouldn't say it was inappropriate if I saw it...who knows in 1,000 years time people will be amazed that anyone ever put a cigarette to their lips.

we put surgical tape around my son's thumb on a night to stop him not realising he is doing it.   He is 12 and is really trying (he knows he will have to have a brace if he carries on)....

we tried the nilbite stuff that you paint on the nail....  though repelled at first he got used to it! (yeurch)!   I have sprayed perfume on it in the past.

the tape works...  but now he is dependant on the tape to stop him doing it...   I am conflicted... I give him rollockings about him needing to try...  but at the same time I remember how hard it is...  I didn't stop by willpower...  I stopped doing it habitually in my early twenties by discovering the hand under the pillow thing... and I suppose the fact that I wasn't always sleeping alone!

Except if you're in BB ...........I've seen Josie sucking her thumb a couple of times ............actually II think I've seen it before but I can't remember who - anyone?

oooh spooky... I just came back in here to add.....

even at 19 when I did suck my thumb... I wouldn't have been doing it in the big brother house... not in week 1!

maybe... by week 10...  but I would stop myself the moment I realised I was doing it.   People that do it are not usually proud of it.

offs does it matter?

adults suck their thumbs , it doesnt harm anyone, they like it, get over it.

she's 49, she finds it appropriate, so  whether or not you find it appropriate isnt really an issue .

You are probably right. It really isn't the end of the world. Personally ..........I just don't like to see it in adults (or kids for that matter) coming from a non thumb sucking family ...................I really dont get it. Obviously though - there is a lot in it.

lol, maybe some of your forefathers were closet thumb suckers...

I used to suck thumbs,....but then a policeman told me if I didn't stop I would be in serious trouble

Probably ..........I've researched my family history and it's 'not all that' TBH - no one has claimed to be a thumb sucker though. Who Knows? Thumb Suckers of the World Unite

My 35 year old neighbour sucks his thumb in the street outside the house whilst rubbing his tummy!!!

I used to suck my thumb til I was about 8 or 9 I have perfectly straight teeth and no need for braces luckily. My 3 year old daughter is so comforted by her dummy I haven't the heart to take it away from her. Even the promise of a scooter from the tooth fairy tonight didn't budge her...

But my 35 year old neighbour worries me... IN THE STREET!!!

he is not a good example of a thumb sucker 

I put him in the tummy rubber category!

my daughter swopped the dummy for a barbie when she was 4.    She then proceeded to strip the barbie of all clothing...  and chuck it in the bath with all the other nekkid barbies (& 1 nekkid Ken)... and then demand she wanted her dummy back!

She was told no refunds...  & to my amazement accepted it.

My boy was a completely different story!    We eventually played hardball & took the dummy off him just before he started school (he had only been allowed it at night)....  he immediately substituted his thumb!

hubby still has my son's last dummy...  he keeps meaning to set it in resin... he intends to give it to him as a wedding pressie! 

I may be being judgemntal (perish the thought) but I'd agree with you. With regard to your little girl ...........just take it slowly.......................my oldest still had his dummy under his pillow when he went to school ..........gave it uo very soon after
starting .......my other two gave it up aged three.

In all honesty I think dummies are a safer option ...............I mean - you're freaked out with you neighbour aged 35 sucking his thumb .,...............at least he doesn't have a dummy.

Yet

You can get them dipped in silver too!!! I'm having Mini Bugs 1st shoes dipped in silver I had my 1st shoes silver dipped too

ooooh!  Shiny!!! 

I like that idea...

Soozi - I'm not going to push the dummy thing with her. She loves it way too much and I know she'll eventually give it up. I just need to find the right time...

Neighbour is such an arse as well so it doesn't help when he stands outside my house sucking his thumb and rubbing his tummy with his t shirt rucked up... It takes all my power not to knock on the window and do the w@nker sign at him! For all we know he might have a dummy as well... Wouldn't surprise me!