acute nail biting

i am mutilating my fingernails/fingertips. i cant remember a time when i DIDNT bite my nails and after a family tragedy 2 years ago have gotten even worse . its painful and embarressing. do i need a psychiatrist ? -  an MD ?  i'll follow any suggestions you may offer.

sincerely,

all thumbs


This discussion is related to Chronic Nail Biting in Adults.

[Louisajane]

I am also a nail biter, age 47.   Interestingly, when I was pregnant I stopped biting my nails. However, when I was no longer pregnant I began again.   The nails come in stronger during pregnancy and  I think hormones are involved in this somehow.  I also find that if I cut out caffiene the biting can lessen a lot.  
Too bad I love coffee.

I find that if I get a ragged edge on my nail, I am completely unable to combat biting and of course that just makes it worse. When I am in a "biting mood" I start by rubbing my fingers over the tips of my nails to fees for burrs.  If my fingers are properly filed to a very smooth finish, I am OK.  Sometimes I will begin by biting into a nail but usually I pick and work things loose.  Maybe this sounds lile you maybe not.

Anyway, try
no caffeine,
the best nail files you can find and ALWAYS carry them with you.  better to file you nails into stubs than chew them. Chewing escalates whereas filing can simmer you down.
Try a nail strengthener as well.

You could try oil of primrose, I don't know if you are female, but it works a bit for premenstrual stress and seems to help me.

I go up and down on this method but it does work for me.  It takes a few days of no coffee to notice the difference.
Good luck
Louisajane

[CharlotteSays]

I found a very effective way to stop this.
After close to 40 years and trying ABSOLUTELY EVERYTHING I tried INOSITOL due to a psychmed article I read about trich. (obsessive hair pulling) and thought "hmmm inositol's a harmless B vitamin, what could it hurt..."
Well, after only about 3 weeks of taking it in powdered form and immediately starting at the 18 gram max. amt. for this kind of problem (I was not under a doctors recommendation - and I took it randomly, sometimes 3 grams a day sometimes 18 due to forgetfulness and time constraints) while making a conscientious effort not to bite, I had completely stopped.
After only 3 weeks.
2 more weeks of 3 grams here and 18 there, with a day or two here and there completely missed altogether, and I stopped taking the Inositol too.

It's 2 years later and except for the abuse of 1 nail, always the same name oddly, only done twice during these 2 years... I now have very long, surprisingly strong, nails.

My only "maintenance" is that I now take a multi-vitamin religiously every single day.

I have no idea why it worked (supposed to effect your seratonin levels?) or what my "underlying" problem was as to why I had to bite them so miserably. Family, friends and doctors alike only offered the "If you really wanted to stop you could..." sage advice.
Mind you, my nails were nearly non existent. Seriously.
My "loving" older sister used to tell me daily that if I didn't stop I would "get cancer".
She didn't say it in a nice or "scared straight" kind of way either.
hmmmm....anyway....

I know I tried absolutely everything to stop.
40 years later....This WORKED.
LouisaJane said that she managed to stop while pregnant and I'm inclined to believe that her taking her PRENATAL VITAMINS,  loaded with all sorts of mega doses of B vitamins, I suspect was the result of her declining need to bite her nails.

Try Inositol in it's powdered form.

It's harmless as it's not absorbed into your fat cells like vitamin A is so it's not toxic, side effects (like diarrhea) are easily manageable and go away after a day or two. Just stay hydrated if it happens to you.
Here's the psychmed article I read:

http://westsuffolkpsych.homestead.com/skinpicking.html

Good Luck.

This horrid "habit" can be surprisingly easy to cure.
I only wish that people had taken it more seriously 30 years ago.
Every year that goes by with you thinking your kid has a "bad habit" is a year of reinforcement for this "bad habit" to take hold, and could've been easily stopped all together for me 30 years ago.
http://www.medhelp.org/posts/new/503636#