Adults using pacifiers Photo: VCG

An increasing number of adults in China are now turning to pacifiers to relieve stress, with some netizens calling them "stress-relief tools" that help ease anxiety, The Paper reported.

A woman surnamed Liang, who works in Shenzhen, South China's Guangdong Province , said that she likes using pacifiers, said The Paper. "Using it when writing helps stay focused," another interviewee from Shandong said, "Sometimes I feel inexplicably irritable even insomniac, pacifier at this time really comforts me," she said.
An increasing number of adults are buying pacifiers online.  On major e-commerce platforms, adult pacifiers sell well, with prices usually ranging from 10 to 80 yuan ($11), coming in a variety of styles and designs, per the report.

The Paper citing a merchant reported that the store has been selling adult pacifiers for 7 years, with an annual sales volume of about 6,000. 

"I'm surprised by the booming sales of adult pacifiers. I thought it was niche behavior," the interviewee said. Some netizens are puzzled by this phenomenon, or even feel embarrassed.

Psychology experts believe that this may be related to the symbolic processing of cultural industries. Smoking to relieve stress is more accepted because the cultural industry has associated it with masculinity. Pacifiers, carrying a strong infant association, create a striking contrast when used by adults.

Experts also explained that the mouth is humans' first source of satisfaction, so relieving stress through oral impulses is a natural behavior for adults. 

However, experts also noted that long-term use may cause oral problems, like the temporomandibular joint disorders. To relieve stress, experts recommend more positive ways, such as meditation, yoga, and walking.