Nail Bitting

[Komo]

I am 16 and ive been biting my nails since i was a lil kid, and i also chew my cuticles, i was wondering, what triggers a person to chew there nails? Thank You

[Still_AndiJ]

It does sound like a nervous habit, the knee bouncing thing is another thing my hubby does. It not only drives me crazy, but even my Grandmother comments on it from time to time. She is always asking if John is nervous around her because he is always fidgeting. Do you smoke? My hubby does and I tend to notice it more when he needs a cigarette.

Try getting one of those stress balls, you know the kind you squeeze. That may help your poor nails. I am sure a million people have told you about putting polish on your nails to keep you form biting them, sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't. Try finding something else to keep your hands and mouth busy. Carry some water with you or chew gum, if you get the urge to start chewing on your hand, pop a piece of gum or take a swig of water.

These never work for my hubby (he isn't a gum chewer and he doesn't seem to understand the concept of sipping, he slugs it and then won't get up to get more)

Hope these help : )

Andrea

[Komo]

lol, yes i smoke ciggerates when i wanna chew my nails, i have a smoke, lol yes ive been told to get nail polish so it taste gross. but i usualy either play on the comp so my hands are busy or i go skateboarding that way im occupied. lol, i never heard of a stress ball, ive heard that for quitting smokeing to use a stress ball, and im also lazy and dont wanna do all those things. ppl say ill grow out of it, but i dont think i will lol, and thank you for ur comment :)

[Still_AndiJ]

My hubby is almost 27 and shows no signs of growing out of it  : ) Just try to keep you hands busy

Andrea

[Komo]

and i chew my skin around my nails

[Still_AndiJ]

Usually it is considered a nervous habit. I don't know of any physiological reason, at least none I have ever heard of. Are you an anxious person by nature? Kind of high strung? Do you find yourself unable to sit still? These are all the same traits my hubby has and he is a nail biter. It drives me up the wall, but they are his nails.

Andrea

[Komo]

oh yah, i cant sit ina place at one time, i gotta have my hands doing sumthing or i start to bite them, but like man, its really bad, i thought it was a nervous thing as well, or if im sitting ina one place i gotta jump my knee up and down, etc, i think u know what mean. Thanks

[Komo]

ill try :P

[heather2003]

Hi there Komo...

:)

You sound just like me.. I chewed my nails, cuticles, and the tops of my fingers (skin) from the time I had teeth up until my sophomore year of college...

When I was little, my mom tried everything.. She'd pay me $$ for every nail I could grow, she tried the nasty tasting nail polish.. she tried punishments, rewards, everything!

What finally worked for me... Conditioning! I came up w/ the idea after my first psychology course... I wore a rubber band on my wrist (loose).. and every time I brought my hand up to chew on it, I snapped it. After a couple weeks, I'd conditioned myself not to even bring my fingers to my mouth (let alone chew).

I also have a need to keep my hands busy.. While studying, I used to use the little grippy forearm muscle builder thing - ya know, the one you just squeeze.  Your hand gets tired pretty quickly and you're ready to relax it.

Anyway.. Hope all goes well :) - Have patience w/ yourself, but definitely work on it.

-Heather

[angel6382]

Komo,
did anyone ever tell you that smoking cigs can make your nervous habits worse?  I'm not trying to preach about smoking or anything, but my aunt used to smoke and she had all these nervous habits, including biting her nails.  When she stopped smoking she calmed down a little and she stopped biting her nails.

I used to bite/chew my nails when I was little too.  Stress, I think.I havent done it for a few years, but i still chew the skin aroundmy fingernails.  Don't know why.  I stopped chewing I think when I started wearing acrylic nails.  And then when I stopped wearing them I never chewed my nails again.

Good Luck!!

[slsa2000]

I used to chew my nails as well, so I got acrylic ones and have not chewed them in 12 years!! Shannon

[hey heys mom]

my 4yr old bits the skin around her toes and nails it is so bad she will bleed and i can not get her to stop.  please help