Can't stop biting nails, fingers, etc etc!

Dave!

hey folks,

I've had a habit of biting my nails, the skin around them, etc., for as long as I can remember.

I think the time has come to stop! They're getting painful, and are like razor-blades on women's skin

I've tried that bad-tasting stuff that you put on, and it didn't work...

Any other ideas? Tried and tested methods preferably!

Cheers

Dave

biko

Ask your parents, family members & friends to give out to you if they notice you biting your nails.
It goes away once you're aware of that you're doing it. Maybe a slap on the hand/head for extra emphasis

bronte

Honestly it's all about will power!
Make yourself aware of when you're doing it and keep your hands busy.
I used to bite my nails badly, made the effort to stop.
I learned in time that it was something I did without thinking and taught myself to stop.
It's a tough habit to break...think of the pain it can cause,that should put you off!
good luck!

Reku

bronte wrote: »

Honestly it's all about will power!
Make yourself aware of when you're doing it and keep your hands busy.
I used to bite my nails badly, made the effort to stop.
I learned in time that it was something I did without thinking and taught myself to stop.
It's a tough habit to break...think of the pain it can cause,that should put you off!
good luck!

Yup, only thing I ever found to work. Sun-tan lotion/sunblock tastes absolutely foul yet even with that on my fingers I'd still bite away at the nails.

Out of interest might be worth asking your parents about biting the skin around the nails, found out a few years ago that my dad had also done that when he was young, so have been left wondering if perhaps it was a genetic trait, not in a inhereted behaviour sense, but as a possible inhereted deficiency (damned if I can figure out anything unique to the skin of that area other than ease of access for biting off though...) that results in the behaviour.

LegacyUser

I used to bite mine very badly too, til they bled in fact. Only way I stopped (but this might not be an option for you) was to put on fake nails. By not being able to bite them, I broke the habit thankfully.

I still have to carry a small nail clippers around with me because if I get a broken or hang nail I STILL get the urge to bite it off (and this is years later) and before I know it I've bitten the nail down again. So I file or cut it immediately and then I'm ok.

Might be worth talking to a nail salon, some of their false nails are so natural looking you might get away with wearing them. Especially the gel ones.

Reku

me-also wrote: »

I used to bite mine very badly too, til they bled in fact. Only way I stopped (but this might not be an option for you) was to put on fake nails. By not being able to bite them, I broke the habit thankfully.

I still have to carry a small nail clippers around with me because if I get a broken or hang nail I STILL get the urge to bite it off (and this is years later) and before I know it I've bitten the nail down again. So I file or cut it immediately and then I'm ok.

Alas being a bloke fake nails would have probably resulted in a number of beatings for me from other guys in secondary school.
But yeah, have had the odd... relapse myself, where before I know it there's only the pink part of the nail left, no white.
Oddly though I think I've had more nail bleeds since I stopped biting them than I did before, as now that there's some length to them they can catch on things, break and get ripped away in the pink part (owwwy!:().

cance

missus does this too, never understood how anyone can chew the skin around their nails.

It seems to get better if she is relaxed, and worse if she is anxious. When i catch her doing it i always make a point of saying it, which seems to work.

Beetlebum

me-also wrote: »

I used to bite mine very badly too, til they bled in fact. Only way I stopped (but this might not be an option for you) was to put on fake nails. By not being able to bite them, I broke the habit thankfully.

I still have to carry a small nail clippers around with me because if I get a broken or hang nail I STILL get the urge to bite it off (and this is years later) and before I know it I've bitten the nail down again. So I file or cut it immediately and then I'm ok.

Might be worth talking to a nail salon, some of their false nails are so natural looking you might get away with wearing them. Especially the gel ones.

Eh...i think DaveMcG is a guy...his also mentions running his hands down womens skin...could be a lesbian called Dave but it's unlikely..

Dave!

You're spot on Beetlebum, I'm a lesbien called Dave

No I am a bloke, so fake nails are out of the question

My mother has been 'pointing it out to me' (smacking me in the mouth! :eek: ) when I do it since I was a kid and it hasn't had any effect.

Right starting........ NOW...... I shalln't bite my nails or fingers

bronte

Great stuff Dave! stick at it, it's a tough one to stop, but very worth it.
Good luck!

Thinking about how nasties like the vomiting bug are spread will help...!

Look at where your hands go, and think about all those people who were there before you who don't wash their hands. Some people are pretty disgusting when it comes to personal hygiene.

Stopped me sticking my fingers in my mouth pretty quickly!

DawnMc

You're possibly not even aware of what you're doing. I constantly bite my lip without realising it.

Stop the next time you realise you're doing it, ask yourself how you are feeling. Sounds stupid but you'll possibly notice a trend. Allow yourself to experience that feeling (nervous, excited etc) don't shut it out, you most likely won't need to bite anymore! Bite free world I say

l3LoWnA

Ok - I'm with Dave on this. I'm going to stop as and from now too. I've always bitten nails and skin too (I hear it's a DISGUSTING habit to those who aren't in the know about how pleasurable it is to constantly have sore and tender finger-tips!!) My father does the exact same thing, I think it's a hereditory trait alright. I bite mine more when thinking hard or if I'm anxious (doesn't happen very often) about something or don't have cigarettes either.

Strangely, I've found in the past when I was in a relationship I've just stopped biting my nails straight away, I like having nails when I'm in a relationship. Don't know why! :rolleyes:

But I've grown them twice or three times in the last year so it IS possible, AND it is all about willpower and making yourself aware of your habit.

So thanks for starting this thread Dave, as I'm now going to grow my nails nice and long for Christmas and hopefully, by then, I'll have someone who wants to feel them running down their back

Dave!

woohoo We can work together on this! It can be like AA, I'll be your sponsor and you mine Anyone else want in on the action? We gotta keep each other motivated!

I've tried to chew about 20 times since starting this thread :eek:, but managed to refrain!

Reku

Just a warning that you will have the occasional slip up which when you see the one shredded nail among all the normal ones will make you want to have a go at the others too, so you'll definitely need willpower.
Even now I'm still unsure if it looks better to have one weird nail that's all bitten or all the nails looking crap...

Nevyn

Figure out why you do it and distract yourself, either with some gum or with worry beads.

ali.c

I found that keeping my hands away from my face worked wonders. No everytime i noticed my hands around my face i purposely did something else with them. its a habit so concious effort is required to get out of it!

LegacyUser

Hi, I know I'm not a regular poster around here but I've being an avid 'reader' for quite a while. I chew on my fingers all the time. When I'm worried, happy, sad; it doesn't matter. Can I join you for support as I try to kick this god awful habit?

4bugny

...

squishywishy

I also pick at and bite the skin on my fingers!! one thumb is particularly sore at the minute. Also seem to do it when im under pressure. Boyfriend has been giving out to me for it recently but i just seem to try and hide it from him.

might jump on the bandwagon and try and stop!!!

CreepingDeath

DaveMcG wrote: »

I've tried that bad-tasting stuff that you put on, and it didn't work...

Try sticking your fingers up your ass on a regular basis... that should help you stop putting them in your mouth

Okay, on a serious note, regularly cutting them should help trim them down, so there's nothing there to bite.

Lil' Smiler

Oh i'm so jumping on the bandwagon now!

I do it when i'm stressed, nervous, anxious, upset or when i'm thinking.

my thumbs are wrecked at the moment coz i've peeled so much skin off.

If the edge of my nail is coming off, i can't leave it alone, have to pull it and then try to somehow make the shape of it even by picking other bits off..


right that is it, from tonight, it has to stop!!

My turn now:

Been doing it all my life. Any time I try the foul tasting paint it seems to work for a while but for whatever reason I stop using it and am back to square one in a few days.

It's not good, I think one of my teeth has been damaged by the biting and my cuticles and the skin below them tends to be very flaky and/or bleed a lot.

Dave!

So how are we getting on folks? Had a few lapses today Just little ones though, didn't go mad or anything! Just stopped as soon as I noticed I was doing it.

Tomorrow is another day!

Good luck!

the_syco

Chewing gum worked for me. That or polo's. Something to chew on.

Reku

DaveMcG wrote: »

So how are we getting on folks? Had a few lapses today Just little ones though, didn't go mad or anything! Just stopped as soon as I noticed I was doing it.

Tomorrow is another day!

Good luck!

Like I said before this will happen quite a bit:(, so the important thing is to not simply pack it in, keep trying and you will slowly do it less and less.:)

Dave!

I'm doin well now Bit the nail on my thumb a bit today..... but the rest are looking well They've got a bit of white on them!

l3LoWnA

Great - we'll all stop together! There won't be a boardsie without nicely groomed nails in the next few weeks

Personally, have't bitten since I read your thread first dave - thanks! NEARLY did last night, but refrained

Must take a picture of hem now and one in a few weeks hehehe just so I can prove the before & after!

God, how sad is that :rolleyes:

But seriously, as a previous grower, it's SUCH a nice feeling when your nails start to grow and all the soreness goes from around them!

Lil' Smiler

umm.. i've kept doin it but nowhere near as much!! so it's a start!!

l3LoWnA

Lil' Smiler wrote: »

umm.. i've kept doin it but nowhere near as much!! so it's a start!!

Good! If you think about it and mak yourself aware that you're doing it it'll be easier. If you are about to bite them do soemthing else like go an wash your hands or something.....

Even when I do grow my nails, I've a bad habit of messing with them then......leading to them weakening and eventually breaking So I'll have to stop that to if I grow them this time

FoxyCat

I have been biting my nails too... till I was about 16-17. Then I got a bit annoyed, that I didn't have nice nails, like my friends did and I couldn't buy a nice nail polish.. So I tried growing them. It was a hard job, coz the nails weren't growing the nice way and it took me ages.. But eventually I managed it.

I had a boyfriend, who used to bite his nails.. I would not let him bite his nails if I would see him doing that. I would also file his nails and make them look better than they were even though they were in a bad state. That would make it easier to see if he has been biting them, while I wasn't there.. And this helped. Not 100%, but at least he was making an effort and we were trying to grow them.

mcauley

Had this problem too! Cut your nails regularly and it does tend to help. The nasty tasting stuff is only a temporary fix - ya gotta just stop doing it as soon as you become aware of it! Easier said than done - but you'll feel better when your finger tips arent red or sore lookin Dave! Keep it up!

Dave!

It helps that I'm workin with boxes, etc., in a warehouse 4 nights a week (part-time), so now under my (new ) nails is getting filthy, and I don't like biting them when they're like that lol

They're looking well though! Thanks for the support chaps! With a bit of help and motivation we can all get through this

l3LoWnA

DaveMcG wrote: »

It helps that I'm workin with boxes, etc., in a warehouse 4 nights a week (part-time), so now under my (new ) nails is getting filthy, and I don't like biting them when they're like that lol

They're looking well though! Thanks for the support chaps! With a bit of help and motivation we can all get through this

Wow - yours are growing fast Dave - lucky you! I stopped biting mine days ago and there is yet to be an area I can actually get dirt under :rolleyes:....it'll come tho!

Well done for stopping! You're my hero

Dave!

lol

bronte

Think of how painful it is when you bite...focus on that, it helped put me off biting.

gypsygirl

I bit my nails and the skin all my life, I tried to stop hundreds of times over the years but couldn't, Then 3 yrs ago I made the decision to stop for good 'cos I hid my hands all the time, (picking up a glass in the pub was embarrassing) I kept a nail file with me at all times and everytime I felt a jagged nail or skin (the ones we can't resist) I filed it until it was smooth, I broke the habit in 2 weeks, I couldn't believe how easy it was, I'm still tempted if I break a nail, but I whip out the nail file and I'm fine again. One of my (Male) workmates stopped 6 months ago using the same method. He rubs the file over his nails before he goes out and sez He's very rarely tempted any more. Take heart fellow Nail-biters, if I managed to quit, you can too.

Reku

DaveMcG wrote: »

It helps that I'm workin with boxes, etc., in a warehouse 4 nights a week (part-time), so now under my (new ) nails is getting filthy, and I don't like biting them when they're like that lol

That's the entire reason I used to bite them, have a sort of OCD about dirt under my nails*, have even drawn blood when using sharp things to try clean it all out before.:(

Even just stopped there to check and clean them again.:(


*Basically means I can either have them long enough such that dirt doesn't get trapped and is easy to pick out with another nail if it does or simple have them so short there's nothing to trap the dirt, in other words no white to the nails what-so-ever.


Oh yeah, as a warning to those of you new to long nails, it has a funny effect on the nerves under the white of the nail, some sort of sensory deprivation that makes them tingle for a while when you're growing the nails and then feel a bit numb for a while when you do cut the nails back to being short.

Dave!

Finding it hard to stop biting the skin around the nail now... Not having much trouble with biting the actual nail though pretty soon I'll have nails as long as my... hair!

Reku

DaveMcG wrote: »

Finding it hard to stop biting the skin around the nail now... Not having much trouble with biting the actual nail though pretty soon I'll have nails as long as my... hair!

Hey, a step forward is a step forward. *applaudes*
Besides:
1. How many people pay any attention to the skin around your nails compared to the actual nails themselves.
2. What use is that skin (obviously don't start biting at the live skin underneath the bits you're biting or it will bleed and hurt), whereas the nail itself can be quite useful for scratching, opening stuff, etc...

pwd

I stopped biting my nails after having my teeth broken and fixed in such a way that made it very difficult to bite my nails.
This was coincidental - it wasn't a clever method of stopping myself from biting my nails, nor do I advocate it as such.

ghouse

pwd wrote: »

I stopped biting my nails after having my teeth broken and fixed in such a way that made it very difficult to bite my nails.
This was coincidental - it wasn't a clever method of stopping myself from biting my nails, nor do I advocate it as such.

I dunno....I could perform it for ye all free of charge.

l3LoWnA

DaveMcG wrote: »

Finding it hard to stop biting the skin around the nail now... Not having much trouble with biting the actual nail though pretty soon I'll have nails as long as my... hair!

That's so weird - I'm doin' the exact same thing. Next time I nibble on my skin *eugh* I'll think of you Dave!

*swoon*

ansionnachclist

I'm 19 and been biting my nails all my life. I wish to stop but cant. I think I have anemia too... yay! Can't be bummed to check it out but when yah have anemia, you tend to eat things like nails, paper, hair etc.
But ya props dont.

Wear some thin gloves when yah not really using your hands like when watching t.v. etc.

gypsygirl

File the skin around the nail too, if it's smooth and not catching on anything, there's no real temptation to bite it. Most of us only bite our nails or skin when they start to catch on clothes etc. Use a nail file for 1 week, you'll be amazed at the difference it makes.;)

Reku

gypsygirl wrote: »

File the skin around the nail too, if it's smooth and not catching on anything, there's no real temptation to bite it. Most of us only bite our nails or skin when they start to catch on clothes etc. Use a nail file for 1 week, you'll be amazed at the difference it makes.;)

Unfortunately I have not found anything that helps (filing included) with the urge to get the thicker dead skin around the nails, think the urge is just due to it being harder than the rest of the skin on the end of the finger so maybe some sort of moisturiser might help.

manTime

Biting your nails is a natural instinct to keep them short. If it hurts your just doing it wrong and obviously giving up is putting yourself through unnecessary tension, U wouldnt try give farting or coughing just cause some people find it rude

Grimebox

take up guitar. classical would be best because you dont use a plectrum and you need longish fingenails to pluck/strum. I havent bit my nails in around 3 years. Seriously, this actually worked for me!

modmo

I used to bite my nails and all the skin around them, which sometimes really hurt. My husband used to call me a canibal. It looked awful especially on a girl but I could'nt stop it. I think it was a nervous thing. I went on holiday for a week and decided that was the week I was going to stop. Because I was nice and chilled I didnt bite my nails all week and kept putting clear nail varnish on them. As my nails started going and looking better this meant I stopped biting the skin too. I havent touched them since. It does take will power but maybe try to stop over xmas or when you have a few days off work so you feel nice and relaxed

l3LoWnA

manTime wrote: »

Biting your nails is a natural instinct to keep them short. If it hurts your just doing it wrong and obviously giving up is putting yourself through unnecessary tension, U wouldnt try give farting or coughing just cause some people find it rude

I don't think people find it "rude" but I bite my nails and not only do I find it repulsive myself but I think it looks ugly and it also hurts. When you fart (hopefully in private) you're fart isn't on view to the world forever more, when you cough, hopefully you don't cough into peoples faces and there isn't a sign above your head that says how many times you coughed today. But, bitten nails are on view, and people bite their nails in public alot too...bitten nails look wrong, look ugly and hurt alot of the time, so it may be a natural instinct but modern advances have led to wonderful things such as nail clippers being invented for those of us who wish to keep our nails trimmed and neat.

There are many natural instincts we humans have that are now seen, in this modern world, as rude and offensive mannerisms.

Dave!

I had a bit of a set-back Went away for the weekend and threw caution to the wind, and bit them all! :eek:

Sorry for letting you down l3LoWnA! How are you getting on?

I'm starting again from scratch (hehe ). The good news is that I didn't bite the skin, just the nails, so it's not painful.