Yeah, I know...
I used to be completely dependent on a particular kind of pick, this was before I started to
slide. It wasa stone pick, and it wasa special shape, not just any stone pick. And do you know what, they can actually break... and yes, I forgot them from time to time... it was hopeless...
Now, since I'm completely dependent on a few things I solve the problem this way: I get more than one of each. Like my favorite slide, a Chrome Dome (and I'm sort of dependent on that), I have one at home, one in my pocket and one in the balalajka case (and one in the guitar case, you know, just in case... ).
The thing with the fingerpicks though... I can always go back to not using them. The damping that I'm slowly getting used to wroks fine without the picks as well.
If you can't hear the others you're too loud, if you can't hear yourself you've gone deaf