Biting fingernails

I was going to go unreg for this due to its gross nature, but I think I'll just put up with any flak I get.

I've been biting my fingernails for as long as I can remember now. I'm 20 so this is now a really big deal for me. I tend to hide my hands from people quite often, which is tricky since 75% of my job is done in schools or offices. My cuticles also bleed very often, which I can't see as being unrelated.

It has a knock-on effect, the fact that my nails look like crap affects my confidence, but then that low feeling makes me do it more. I'll also bite when I'm very nervous.

What can I do to try to turn this around? To have this "addiction" for ~15 years of my 20 year life is nasty.

mad m

Im no Shrink,but maybe something else is bothering you in your day to day life and you dont realise it that makes you bite your nails.

kasintahan

Karsini wrote:

I was going to go unreg for this due to its gross nature

Ah, the classic "hidden in plain sight tactic", brilliant.

As for biting your nails, there are foul tasting paints, or multiply layers of nylon based nail hardener.

monkeyfudge

You could try trimming them as short as possible each morning so that you don't have anything to chew on during the day.

And the problem could be worse, it could be your toe-nails...

Sleepy

Use the rotten tasting nail polish stuff, should help you break the habit fast enough assuming that you do it as a subconcious thing. If you're doing it conciously, just grow up and you should stop.

angeldelight

Yep the disgusting nail paint stuff worked for my dad, as did chewing gum cause he was too busy chewing it he got out of the habit of biting his nails

Evil Phil

Try spraying hairspray on your nails.

AlisonB

Presuming you're female...why dont you get the gel/acrylic nails.. i know they arent great for the condition of your nails but - your own nails will grow underneath them and you can get refills every couple of weeks. This will help with the confidence issue too. Just dont start biting them they will prolly sey you back about €50 + but sure see how it goes.

AlisonB

AlisonB wrote:

Presuming you're female...why dont you get the gel/acrylic nails.. i know they arent great for the condition of your nails but - your own nails will grow underneath them and you can get refills every couple of weeks. This will help with the confidence issue too. Just dont start biting them they will prolly sey you back about €50 + but sure see how it goes.

Nope, was male the last time I looked down there. :eek: Thanks anyway though.

I should try that nail paint, where will I find it?

Victor

Try a pharmacy that has a make-up department.

Also, some smells create fear and hate in people (mine is clove) and makes htem stop going near it.

I suppose the gum thing might also work on the whole "oral fixation" thing (like smokers).

Try an exercise that you must do X whenever you find yourself biting your finger nails. Snapping an elastic band on your wrist is one suggested method.

I doubt its good having opening cuts on your finger tips either.

I just wanted to say that I finally got the chance to buy the nail paint today, first day off work in ages. I put it on when I came home, and about an hour later decided to see how bad it really was.
I put my tongue on the nail (didn't actually bite it) and it was absolutely manky. I can still taste it in there now.

Believe me - if this doesn't help, nothing will, lol.

A big thank you to everybody.

Crania

I had to stop biting my nails because my orthadonthist told me that biting my fingernails was eroding my teeth so I stopped biting them. It was really hard at first but now I've kicked the habit and I fell better about myself because my teeth and fingernails look better

WhiteWashMan

well, you *could* try running your fingers over your anus every morning just before you leave the house.
that would *probably* put you off.

of you could just get some of the foul stuff that you cover your nails with that youcan buy in Boots for just this very thing.

if you have a nervous habit, then stick something in your pocket that you can play with instead of the biting. persaonlly, i scratch my shoulder when im nervous, so there you go

Capt'n Midnight

Victor wrote:

Also, some smells create fear and hate in people (mine is clove) and makes htem stop going near it.

is it safe ?...
Reminds me of that scene with Laurence Olivier and the clove oil in Marathon Man

I know someone who didn't mind the taste of the stuff that is supposed to stop you biting your nails so doesn't work for everyone. Try some displacement activites too.