Nail biting

[ringing_phone]

I constantly bite my nails and I've been doing it for over 15 years now

I can't stop!

I've tried that nasty tasting polish on my nails, and I still bite them. I can keep nail polish on my nails for a little while (but it looks terrible because my nails are so short right now), but as soon as one nail chips I start picking and biting at the rest of my nails. I had gel nails for a little while, but I eventually started playing with them and managed to damage a nail and bite it off. I'd get gel nails again, but I can't always wear them (due to sports) so I'd always be getting them and taking them off a few months later. I've read articles about the germs under your nails and that still doesn't turn me off.

I bite them until it hurts and they look terrible. Some of the nails have deformed from ripping off the nail so far.

The problem is that I don't even realize when I'm biting my nails. I'm doing it a lot at work now, and the only way I can stop is by eating constantly (which isn't a good thing either). Even if I'm chewing gum I'll bite a nail if it's really bothering me.

I don't know what else to do because I feel like I've tried everything! I want nice, pretty nails! Please help!

Thank you if you read all this!

 

[ally24k]

hm... now that it's the winter, can you wear more gloves?

 

[luvellabache]

I also has problem in biting my nails all the time since I was small. Everytime I got bored or nervous I would "groom" my nails by biting them and turned out it only made it worst.

The bad habit finally calmed down when there was a a short trend of collecting fancy nail clippers at school. I had like 10 mini clippers with different cartoon character in it and end up managed to get a full use of it by using it as a nail clipper rather than just collecting them.
Since then everytime I felt like grooming my nails, I used my fancy nail clipper cause I always have it handy. Yes but not doing it in public

 

[meggiew00t]

Ok, I have been biting mine for 15 years as well. I went in to get some work done on my teeth (which was minor-- they shaved down my front teeth to get in line with the rest) and.. the procedure they did made it so I can't chew them. It's weird... they shaved them down, and I guess since the new texture I just cannot chew. So, if you need to get your front teeth shaved, then I would do that!! It didn't cost a thing, and I didn't even feel it.

 

[itsnicole]

I used to bite my nails constantly... it went on for the longest. Finally, I got so tired of how my nails looked, but I couldn't control the biting so I got gel nails. About a year ago I decided to get the gel nails taken off b/c of the damage they were doing to my real nails and decided to try to grow them out on my own. It's been a whole year, and my nails look great and no more biting. I don't know if this is an option but that's what worked for me. I use Nail Envy every single day and it has made my nails so strong (they were super weak due to the gel nails).

 

[ILuvShopping]

do you carry a nail file around with you?? i used to chew my nails all the time. I still do sometimes but i've found out that the main reason i do it is because my nails would chip or be uneven. now i carry a nail file with me EVERYWHERE so if i ever get the urge to 'fix' my nails with my teeth i get the nail file out. it has helped!

 

[itsnicole]

do you carry a nail file around with you?? i used to chew my nails all the time. I still do sometimes but i've found out that the main reason i do it is because my nails would chip or be uneven. now i carry a nail file with me EVERYWHERE so if i ever get the urge to 'fix' my nails with my teeth i get the nail file out. it has helped!

Good point! I keep a nail file in my purse, and this helps a ton.

 

[jburgh]

I also used to bite my nails...for about 30 years. Interestingly, behaviors like nail biting, skin picking, and hair pulling are all related. They are considered compulsive behaviors and that is why those quick fixes like the terrible tasting nail stuff does not work well. Plus, as you said, you do it automatically, not even realizing. It all comes down to brain chemistry and stimulation. There are a few ways to stop and I urge you to research this on the web. Here is one link to get you started. Nail Biting. There is some stuff in it about hair pulling, but the general info is enlightening.

I tried many things, such as the icky nail coating, wearing gloves, using pretty polish. Also, suffered humiliation by my parents. And we all know how well THAT works. . For me, I consciously tried to break the cycle. Becoming aware of what you were doing and stopping. It took a while and I regressed a few times, partcularly in times of emotional stress. And that makes sense because people will do something compulsively because it feels "good" in some way.

So chronic nail biting is not as simple as you think, and there is nothing weird about you doing it. If you cannot break the cycle, please seek help from a doctor.

 

[ilzabet]

i'm the same way about chips and biting. if they're painted, i don't chew. but as soon as there's one chip or break....it's over. i have to file and put a coat of polish on them EVERY NIGHT. i carry a file with me everywhere and sometimes i even carry polish in my purse to fix chips. polish and a nail file....its the only thing that's helped even a little. my nails are still really short but at least they're not raggedy and bleeding most of the time.

For me, I consciously tried to break the cycle. Becoming aware of what you were doing and stopping. It took a while and I regressed a few times, partcularly in times of emotional stress. And that makes sense because people will do something compulsively because it feels "good" in some way.

that's a very good point. i use the nail polish more as reality check. it's hard to bite absentmindedly if there's bright red polish in your face before you do it.

 

[blu^tulip]

I've only really tried to grow my nails twice in my life, they grow about half a cm and they start chipping. I have really weak nails and the sad thing is if it doesn't chip, there's crack lines which irritates me so i start bending them and eventually breaks off.

This is my 2nd time round, it's been 3 weeks and has taken alot of discipline not to play, bite them. I was successful with one hand and one nail decides to chip in the corner, i thought i could save it by filing but it made it worse. I've found nail polish helps in strengthening my nails so i'm currently wearing a semi opaque white sparkle polish and i'm starting to like the look which has prevented me from my disgusting habit.

 

[caxe]

Think about all the stuff you probably touch on a regular basis, like public doorknobs, public door handles, countertops, children, shopping cart handles, store merchandise, even handles and doors and surfaces in your own home, especially in the bathroom, kitchen, etc. Now think about how many other people have handled the same things, like doorknobs and stuff like that, and how many germs are probably on those things. You know that not everyone who touches stuff that other people have to handle is clean. Some people probably pick their noses and or scratch their behinds and sneeze into their hands or rub their eyes or pick in their ears with their hands, and don't wash them before they go around touching stuff.

I bit my nails up until about ten years ago, but when someone broke it down to me like that, and told me how I was putting all of that random nastiness into my mouth, I quit cold turkey, and now I have nice, pretty nails to show for it. Then again, I'm a germophobe. If you're not one, also, this tactic may not work for you.

 

[ColdSteel]

If you don't mind your nails looking goofy, get some of the real glittery polish (the stuff meant for tween girls with all the glitter pieces in it). It was such a deterrent to my tongue that I just associated that with my nails.
I need to work on carrying a nail clipper with me. I have the horrible habit of shredding my hangnails.

 

[ringing_phone]

Wow! Thanks for all the responses everyone!

I think I will start carrying a nail file & clippers in my purse. I should also try painting them again and just sticking with it.

jburgh- that article was really interesting! I definitely see a lot of characteristics about myself in there. I will have to look into this more.


caxe- I keep telling myself all that! I'm a bit of a germophobe too, but I don't stop to think what I'm doing when I'm biting, which is part of the problem.


Thank you so much! I'm going to try my hardest to kick this dirty habit!

 

[Kelly Kelly]

I am a lifelong nail biter who has finally just stopped by getting manicures every week without fail. It is the only thing that has ever worked for me. I am now almost six months with no biting. The hardest part was getting the first manicure because I basically had no nails but I found a good manicurist and just bit the bullet (so to speak!)
It was very embarassing but so worth it. If I ever feel like biting, I carry around the NoBite terrible tasting stuff and put it on immediately-so even I do nibble a tiny bit-it's awful!!!!

It is so hard to stop, I completely understand-I think what finally pushed me over the edge is that I have started a new career teaching 4th grade and the looks the kids gave me about my nails...........you know how honest kids are... it kind of shamed me into stopping-but it is still a struggle.

I know you will find something that works for you, just keep trying and try not to be too hard on yourself.

 

[claireZk]

do you carry a nail file around with you?? i used to chew my nails all the time. I still do sometimes but i've found out that the main reason i do it is because my nails would chip or be uneven. now i carry a nail file with me EVERYWHERE so if i ever get the urge to 'fix' my nails with my teeth i get the nail file out. it has helped!

^ That's a great idea! I was going to suggest gum, but I see that didn't work...

I was a bad nail biter when I was a kid, so my dad promised me that if I stopped biting my nails long enough to let them grow he'd take me to get a manicure. I was the youngest of 4 kids so I never got pampered like that. It totally worked... I'm still a wee bit of a cuticle biter (:shame: gross I know), but keeping polish on my nails keeps me from wanting to bite them. It tastes so bad, plus I like to keep them looking pretty...