COUNSELLING CORNER

Dear Counsellor,I am a 14 year-old girl in S1. I have been sucking my left thumb since my childhood. My mother tried to punish me for it but I could not leave the habit. Lately, I have found myself so addicted to it that I can no longer concentrate in class. Whenever I fix my thumb in my mouth, I find myself carried away. I day dream and I fail to concentrate on lessons. Won’t this habit interfere with my studies? What can I do to get out of it? S. N. ,Kampala.Dear S.N.,Thumb-sucking is a common habit among children. Although your mother tried to punish you, there is very little that punishment can do to break this habit. What you are going through is called “fixation.” This is a developmental stage in your early childhood, which you have not successfully outgrown, and has spilled to your late childhood. Children overcome this habit at varying ages. Should this habit cause you worry and affect your concentration in class then you need help. A trained counsellor can apply professional techniques to help you get out of this habit. Do not lose hope. Ends