Nail Biting

by Aimee Amodio | More from this Blogger

09 Jun 2006 08:23 AM

Whatever you do, don't look at my hands. I've been a nail biter all my life. I have tried to stop... I've managed to stop for a few weeks or even a few months... but one slip, and I'm back to chewing my nails all the way up to my elbows.

When I was younger, my grandfather tried desperately to bribe me. At one point, the offer was up to two hundred dollars if I could stop biting for a month. I couldn't do it. And I've tried those bad tasting liquids. They sure do taste awful... but once you get the stuff off, your nails are back to normal and it's biting time.

What works best for me is distraction. Chewing gum keeps my mouth busy, and something to keep my hands busy can stop me from biting. But I tend to not even notice that I'm chewing my nails until after the damage is done. My worst times for nail biting? When I'm driving and when I'm reading.

So why do people bite their nails?

• Nervousness. You get stressed, you need an outlet.
• Boredom. It's something to do!
• Comfort/Routine. You've moved on from your pacifier or thumb and into the wonderful world of nail biting.

And how do you stop?

Well, that's the million dollar question there, isn't it? For myself... well, I have to have a good reason to do it. It is willpower, more than anything else, that gets me to stop and keeps me on track. I gave up on the bitter liquid paint long ago... but sometimes painting my little stubby nails helps. If nothing else, it takes me a while to chew off the nail polish before I start biting again.

You may also want to try giving your hands and nails some extra attention. Use hand cream to keep your skin (and cuticles) soft. Buy nail polish you like -- pick lighter colors until your nails grow back a bit -- and have fun painting them. And keep an emory board handy to deal with snags. Whatever you do... don't use your teeth for minor repairs!

Keep gum handy to satisfy the need to chew... and find something to keep your hands busy -- even if it's just a rubber band to play with or a piece of paper to shred.

Learn more about Aimee Amodio

Aimee is a fiction writer... dog lover... music lover...

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Andrea M (2525) 12 Jun 2006 09:39 AM

I have always been a nail bitter! I bite my nails all the way down til there is nothing hardly even left! I would even do it when I had fake nails on! I wish that there was a way for me to stop, so if you find one..........Please let me know. LOL!!!!

Aimee Amodio (12040) 12 Jun 2006 11:59 AM

I have the same problem, Andi, I chew mine to stubs without even thinking. For me, only willpower can get me to stop... but I always fall back into the habit.

Nicole Humphrey (15757) 13 Jun 2006 12:34 PM

I'm a nail biter as well. Not as bad as andi. The only way I stopped was when I actually worked really hard at growing them out and focused on NOT doing it. It's soooo hard!

islanderman (5) 12 Apr 2007 10:38 AM

I have been biting my nails for 35 years so I know exactly what your going through. I have stopped several times only to pick it up again. It does help me to get manicures so there is no loose skin or nail. The one thing I wanted to ask other people who bite their nails is when they are growing do they look like a healthy normal nail. My does not. There is a huge gap between the skin and the nail. I don't know if it is because of years of biting or they need more time to grow in. A few years ago I actually stopped biting them for a good 6 months. Thought I had it licked. However my nails did not look right. I'm wondering if other people have the same issue.