Whatever you do, don’t look at my hands. I’ve been a nail biter all my life. I have tried to stop… I’ve managed to stop for a few weeks or even a few months… but one slip, and I’m back to chewing my nails all the way up to my elbows.
When I was younger, my grandfather tried desperately to bribe me. At one point, the offer was up to two hundred dollars if I could stop biting for a month. I couldn’t do it. And I’ve tried those bad tasting liquids. They sure do taste awful… but once you get the stuff off, your nails are back to normal and it’s biting time.
What works best for me is distraction. Chewing gum keeps my mouth busy, and something to keep my hands busy can stop me from biting. But I tend to not even notice that I’m chewing my nails until after the damage is done. My worst times for nail biting? When I’m driving and when I’m reading.
So why do people bite their nails?
- Nervousness. You get stressed, you need an outlet.
- Boredom. It’s something to do!
- Comfort/Routine. You’ve moved on from your pacifier or thumb and into the wonderful world of nail biting.
And how do you stop?
Well, that’s the million dollar question there, isn’t it? For myself… well, I have to have a good reason to do it. It is willpower, more than anything else, that gets me to stop and keeps me on track. I gave up on the bitter liquid paint long ago… but sometimes painting my little stubby nails helps. If nothing else, it takes me a while to chew off the nail polish before I start biting again.
You may also want to try giving your hands and nails some extra attention. Use hand cream to keep your skin (and cuticles) soft. Buy nail polish you like — pick lighter colors until your nails grow back a bit — and have fun painting them. And keep an emory board handy to deal with snags. Whatever you do… don’t use your teeth for minor repairs!
Keep gum handy to satisfy the need to chew… and find something to keep your hands busy — even if it’s just a rubber band to play with or a piece of paper to shred.