Nails Your Way

Overcoming Compulsive Nail Biting

Compulsive cuticle picking and nail biting is called onychophagia. What I am referring to is not the kind of little bits of rough nail or cuticle that everyone picks at or bites from time to time. But compulsive nail biters continually bite their nails past the nail bed until they are constantly walking around with red, sore, and oftentimes infected fingers.

Medical research shows that most nail biting is done in an effort to ease stress and anxiety. It is a compulsive habit that is an outlet for pent-up emotion. Any kind of disharmony as a result of friends, family, work, or school can trigger the nail biting response. Avoidance of stress causing situations is beneficial in the recovery process. Identifying the circumstances that trigger nail biting is also helpful. People that bite their nails often do it unconsciously, so part of the cure is to know when and what situations start the biting habit. You should ask yourself: Where do I usually start to bite my nails? What situations trigger my nail biting? When do I usually bite my nails? Behavioral techniques for stopping compulsive nail biting are primarily interference techniques: doing something else with your hands (such as rubbing a smooth stone, playing chess, playing the piano, squeezing a ball, crocheting, embroidering, etc.) or doing something else with your mouth (such as chewing gum, chewing on a straw, toothpick or eating hard candy, etc.)

Some nail biters bite in an automatic way, as if they are in a trance and not really thinking about what they are doing. Usually, they are involved in other activities at the same time such as reading, talking on the phone, working on the computer, watching T.V., etc. For others, the deliberate biting is their main activity at the time, and they will frequently interrupt other activities to do it. Another factor considered in nail biting behavior involves a kind of compulsive perfectionism. Nail biters will often try to bite off rough-feeling bits of nail and cuticle in the hopes of making it feel smooth and look "perfect" or regular. The next thing they know a chunk of skin or nail has been chewed off causing soreness, bleeding, and infection.

The good news is that the nail care industry has produced an anti-fingernail biting cream to help people learn to overcome the compulsive nail biting habit. The cream is massaged into the nails and cuticles morning, night and after hand washing. The aloe and vitamin A, B, C, & E enriched cream results in fewer hangnails, smooth cuticles, and faster healing. The all-natural herbal cream is formulated to prevent nail biting by causing an unpleasant taste that reminds you not to bite. Thousands of people have found this cream along with regular manicures to be the solution to compulsive nail biting. Both men and women that are serious about overcoming their compulsive nail biting habit should try this excellent bite no more cream recovery treatment program.

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Nails Your Way
Jeanne Grace Curtis
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