Hypnosis to cure nail biting?

flanzer

Folks, this may or may not be the right forum. It was this or After Hours!

I just looked at my finger nails (what's left of them) and they're a bloody disgrace! After biting my nails all my life (27 years), I think it's time I made a conscious effort to give up. I've tried in the past to do it but only lasted about 3 weeks. I tried all the nail lotions that leave a horibble taste but after a while my taste buds block the taste out.

So with my impending SSIA maturity, I think I may go for hypnosis and finally cure it once and for all. Has anyone ever gone for it for other habits? Does it work? Any other sensible suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Thanks

Mr. Incognito

My Girlfriend has the same problem. She chews the tops of her fingers will down. It's impossible to get her to stop and she's tried everything. Let me know if you find anything that works.

scoey

I don't know about hypnosis, but I wouldn't bet on it being very effective. Then again, I guess I'm just a bit sceptical about the effectiveness of hypnosis in general. I'm 20 and had been biting my nails as long as I can remember. I started going to the gym about 4 months ago, and after a few weeks I noticed that my nails were unusually long(for me)... I don't know what the correllation is, less stress perhaps, but going to the gym totally put an end to my nailbiting habit. I never made a conscious effort to stop, it just happened.


Failing that, when I was younger my mother used to always warn me that if I didn't stop biting them she'd buy some stuff you can put on your nails to make them taste disgusting. Does that actually exist I wonder? Perhaps, perhaps not... If it does, it might be an idea.

eirebhoy

Hypnosis worked for my brother and sister. My sister had a habit of pulling her hair out which would be similar.

I get new habits all the time. I spent about 2 years cracking my jaws off each other (I don't know exactly what I was doing tbh ). It could get really sore on occasion. I just concentrated on not doing it. I'd still do it without noticing but every time I noticed myself doing it I'd force myself not to. After a few days I just didn't feel the urge.

Stopping yourself biting your nails sounds easy tbh. Buy a pair of handcuffs or something and put them on behind your back for a few hours each night while watching telly. It seems much easier than getting over the stupid habits that I've had.

flanzer

eirebhoy wrote:

Stopping yourself biting your nails sounds easy tbh. Buy a pair of handcuffs or something and put them on behind your back for a few hours each night while watching telly. It seems much easier than getting over the stupid habits that I've had.

It's not really! I don't even notice myself doing it half the time! Then I look down at a nail and think "Ah Christ look at the state of that! How can I remedy this mess I just created!!?" .......... And off I go biting again!

eirebhoy

It's the same with every habit. You might aswell try forcing yourself to stop. What's the harm? If you're conscious about the fact that you're not biting your nails you'll get the urge to but if you make it physically impossible to get at your nails the urge will wear off, or at least it does for me.

KdjaCL

There some gloop you can get to put on them trust me you wont bite them a 2nd time after tasting it.

Boots sell it and the name escapes me.


kdjac

SuperSean11

I wouldnt do that My mate smokes so she went to a hypnotist to help her stop All it did was make her hate the taste of fizzy drinks

Cateym

I totally empathise. I've bitten my nails forever as well (I'm 26!) and I hate the look of them. The only time I managed to stop for any extended period was 10 years ago in transition year. I can only deduce that the lack of stress in that year was the reason.

The nail stuff didn't work for me. I got used to the taste of it. Its such an unconcious habit. I don't even realise I'm doing it.

I have thought about hypnosis too but am dubious about shelling out so much money if it doesn't work.

Talliesin

Hypnosis tends to be particularly effective for just this sort of habit.

Trizo

There is hope , i have bitten my nails all my life and like you ,they were disgusting they would bleed and sting like mad... and like you i bit them, looked down and then tried to fix the mess using my teeth again !! :rolleyes:

i think i only managed 2 weeks where i didn't bite my nails ever but then i came a cropper when i didn't know then how to cut them so i started using my teeth after the clippers left an edge

people used to look at them and were disgusted so i wouldn't show them and everyone tried to get me to stop , i tried the nail stuff but had a really bad experience as it got everywhere on my food , pillow all over my face and it drove me mental tasted horrible (which its meant too) but just goes everywhere the stuff was toxic couldn't breath.

but ..... for the past 3-4 months i have stopped biting them and the GF has had to teach me how to cut the bloody things which i must admit having bit them all my life i find annoying twas far easier before.

I found the best way was to concentrate on not biting one nail leave just one fingernail avoid biting it at all cost (believe me it was difficult cus half the time you don’t even realise what your doing until it hurts or you look down)
grow this one nail, it looks mad for a while with all the other nails bitten but keep at it then trim it etc properly so you don’t end up fixing it with your teeth then start the next one and slowly build up a set of finger nails - its tough i had set backs and for a month or two i was 2 then on 6 or 7 nails and then 8 i found a few nails difficult to stop biting (you always have your favourites )
but now i have 10 fingernails and i didn't go to hypnosis. You just need a lot of will power , support from someone , not getting bored in work and avoid stressing about things for a while (Utd games used to kill my nails )

I would try this first but I must admit I found it really difficult to give up just got to keep with it btw im mid 20’s too. One nail at a time …

Little-Devil

flanzer wrote:

Folks, this may or may not be the right forum. It was this or After Hours!

I just looked at my finger nails (what's left of them) and they're a bloody disgrace! After biting my nails all my life (27 years), I think it's time I made a conscious effort to give up. I've tried in the past to do it but only lasted about 3 weeks. I tried all the nail lotions that leave a horibble taste but after a while my taste buds block the taste out.

So with my impending SSIA maturity, I think I may go for hypnosis and finally cure it once and for all. Has anyone ever gone for it for other habits? Does it work? Any other sensible suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Thanks

I like yourself was always biting my nails through my teenage and mid twentys. I remember i sometimes i would take chunks out of them and there would be blood everwhere and a few days later my finger would be swolen cause it was infected. I tried the lotions and it never worked for me either, i just coninued to bit them on a daily basis regardless of the taste .

I know you may not believe this, but i actually stoped biting and started cutting them using a nail clippers every couple of days. I have to say i may bite them now and again, but i would cut once i started and i would have no interest in biting them cause they were cut.

I know it may not work for you, but i would not bother wasting money hypnosis, i would try to start cutting everyday or couple of days and you will notice that there is nothing left for YOU to bite.

missmatty

I was a pathological nail biter till into my twenties but I'm mostly fine now. It's the jagged edge that gets you, if i break a nail now and it's jagged i'll find myself messing with it without realising. The best thing is to carry AT ALL TIMES a big emery board in your bag, as soon as i realise i'm biting at an uneven edge i get it out and when the nail is smooth again i lose the urge to bite it.

My mum used to paint that rotten stuff onto my nails when i was asleep as a kid, it didn't work only to put me off my food for a week

flanzer

missmatty wrote:

I was a pathological nail biter till into my twenties but I'm mostly fine now. It's the jagged edge that gets you, if i break a nail now and it's jagged i'll find myself messing with it without realising. The best thing is to carry AT ALL TIMES a big emery board in your bag, as soon as i realise i'm biting at an uneven edge i get it out and when the nail is smooth again i lose the urge to bite it.

My mum used to paint that rotten stuff onto my nails when i was asleep as a kid, it didn't work only to put me off my food for a week

I'm of the male species so emery boards and bags don't really look the part!

tinkerbell

flanzer wrote:

I'm of the male species so emery boards and bags don't really look the part!

If you want to stop nail biting, then you just have to swallow your pride and use an emery board! You don't need to carry it around with you like us women do, just have one at home!

Stench Blossoms

I started getting gel nails and that stopped me biting them.

Use Missmatty's advice. Get an emery board. Who cares if you look gay, you'll have nice nails.

Esel

eirebhoy and KdjaCL, read the first post again. The OP said s/he has tried the foul-tasting stuff to no avail.

OP, if you are female, maybe false nails might do the trick. Wouldn't be permanent though. Hypnosis could help; try to go to one who has been recommended by someone whose opinion you trust. Also, if you do go, don't be scammed into coming back for multiple sessions (i.e. more than two or three in total). Good luck.

Pataman

I have tried hypnosis and found it very effective. The best €60 spent. just look up the golden pages for a list of hypnotists. They usuall give you a cd to listen to at home. I only had 1 session and hevent listened to the cd yet and I am cured.

JackieChan

I'm another long time biter.
When I was in my teens I got an nasty cut(unrelated to nail biting!) at top of my index finger which required it to be kept wrapped up for about 2 weeks.
When I took of the bandage I was amazed to see this pristine long nail.....needless to say it was demolished after a few mins

Have to agree its the jagged bits that get me!!
I wish I could stop, its so embarrising when you drop some coins in a shop and you can't pick them up!! I might try the liquid stuff you put on your nail.

flanzer

Pataman wrote:

I have tried hypnosis and found it very effective. The best €60 spent. just look up the golden pages for a list of hypnotists. They usuall give you a cd to listen to at home. I only had 1 session and hevent listened to the cd yet and I am cured.

Are you in Dublin? And if so, who did you go to? €60 seems very reasonable.

BTW... It was to cure nail biting...wasn't it??

flanzer

Well it's been over a month now and havn't gone near my nails. I didn't go to the hynotist but decided to use will power.

While my nails are beginning to look normal again, I find myself constantly looking at them and wanting to bite them, but resist. What I do though is, I start to pick at the skin around them and push down the cuticles. On a good note, I'm not using my teeth to do it but using my newly formed nails! I'm hoping I won't need a hynotist to solve this problem now! I'm sure it will pass but has anyone had a similar problem to this and has overcome it?!

EDIT: By the way, I'm gonna load up on the chewing gum for the Liverpool match tomorrow night! I managed to stay clear of the nails for the previous 2 matches against Chelsea!

tinest

My son used the hypnosis for his nails, worked for him anyway. Forget the fellas name, out in Raheny. Did you stay away from them still?