More and more young adults are turning to pacifiers as a self-comfortable form in China. Photo Credit: AJR Photo/Shutterstock
In China, a surprising new stress-relieving trend is emerging among young adults. Uses baby dummy. Relating only to infants, these small comfortable objects are accepted by adults in search of ways to manage anxiety, relax, and find calm moments in busy lives.
China’s social media platform has become the hub for this unusual coping mechanism. Videos and images show adults quietly smoking dents while working at their desks, commuting by public transport, or relaxing at home. Many participants described it as a soothing ritual that helps to deal with increasing pressure from work, relationships and financial burdens.
This trend reflects deeper problems in Chinese society, particularly the mental health challenges faced by younger generations. Long hours of working hours, a competitive job market, and rising costs of living have created climates with the highest stress levels ever. For some, looking at dummies is simple, inexpensive and instantly accessible comfort, just like how others reach for stress balls, fidget toys, or comfortable food. Psychologists point out that physical acts that suck can cause calm responses in the nervous system, lower your heart rate and relieve anxiety. This mechanism, known as the “sucker reflex,” is a primitive, comfortable behavior rooted in infancy. Some critics dismiss this practice as immature or socially inappropriate, but supporters argue that it is simply a different form of self-sedation and is not different from other personal coping strategies.
Retailers have noticed a growing demand. Online Marketplace offers adult size dummies in a variety of designs, colors and materials. Some products have humorous and stylish designs to make them more socially acceptable in public places.
This practice is still a niche, but it raises questions about how modern adults find unconventional ways to deal with stress and emotional fatigue. It remains to be seen whether this trend will decline or become a permanent part of China’s stress-relieving culture, but for now we are finding comfort in objects reserved for nursery schools.
