Sunday, January 17, 2010

Oral Fixation, Perhaps?

I used to suck my thumb when I was a kid--until well into middle school. Yes, crazy I know. My parents tried everything to make me quit. They offered incentives like a TV and a go-cart. They punished me with spankings and sentences. They used Tabasco Sauce on my thumb along with the nasty habit-breaking clear fingernail polish (my sister and I called it 'Skunk Medicine' for some reason; we called Pepto Bismol 'Bunny Rabbit Medicine', so I guess we were just really into giving animal names to what we considered 'medicine', a loose family of things, it now seems). The parents also taped mittens and socks on my left hand (the culprit thumb was on that hand, and I didn't care much for the right thumb--can't say why that was though). Most embarrassingly now, I had habit appliances (fang-like permanent devices from the orthodontist--I broke SEVEN of them because I was so determined to do what I wanted).

Well, finally I quit; this was a decision I made on my own without any outside incentives offered or devices imposed at that time. But after the thumb sucking stopped, I constantly chewed gum for about two years. About the time I quit doing that was when I started gaining weight. I wonder if there is any correlation? I just put all this together to come to the conclusion that I have always liked to have something in my mouth (let's stay clean here, folks :) ). In fact, I still bite my fingernails (I know that this is disgusting to some of you). I'm not sure really if there is any tie in all this to gaining weight for certain, but I have started chewing gum again lately (we've all heard the five-calorie chant from The Biggest Loser, I suspect); however, I'm evidently inept at that these days as I bit my cheek and lip to the point that I had terrible ulcers in my mouth (again, that's probably TMI). Any ideas to keep my mouth occupied without the calorie gain or ulcers?

8 comments:

  1. I used to bite my nails, too. Then suddenly, just stopped. Maybe it's a maturity thing lol. I also had the tabasco on the fingernails and this evil stuff called "Stop Nails" designed to put a drop on your fingernails.. which worked fine until you washed your hands because it then no longer worked.. you need to re-apply. Doh. Nothing worked until I was ready.

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  2. The only other thing that I can think of is maybe sucking on Sugar Free hard candy?

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  3. By the way, my oral fixation when I was in Middle School-High School was to suck on the ends of my hair. Maybe that is why I prefer my hair shorter! I reminds my of this. Not sure, just a thought.

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  4. hey, im a new follower, im rly liking your blog.
    Ive got a quick question, what is the biggest loser chant?

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  5. What about chewing gum? Are you ready for zumba tonight! yeeeee haw!

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  6. I also sucked my thumb through middle school and in high school would wake up sometimes with it in my mouth! Then in college I chewed on pens - it was obsessive and really gross! A few years later was when I started gaining weight too...I think it is a definate obsession, but I choose the gum over eating no matter how many calories are in gum!

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  7. Quick post: Thank you for all your comments, and I'll respond to everything else a little later.

    But as for the 'BL Chant', the BL always touts that we should chew gum because it is only five calories. It's not a chant really but is something that they repeat so often that it may as well be. :)

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  8. It appears that a lot of us have/had habits. I wish I would've started developing more healthful habits instead then!

    Cara: I hope to be able to quit too when I get to a less stressful point.

    Debi: The SF candy is a good idea. Any suggestions on kinds with fewer calories?

    Amy: I don't think I was ready--but it came, and I survived. I still want my "I Survived Zumba" T-shirt. :)

    Amanda: I could give gum another go around, but, if I do, how can I ensure that I won't give myself the ulcers that I was getting? Hmmm...

    Lynette: THANK YOU! :)

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