1. Nail Biting and Nervous Habits
Nail biting is one of those nervous habits that could start as a child and keep going. You probably don't even realize you're doing it. Nail biting might be something that you do in addition to other repetitive behaviors. Some individuals bite their nails due to stress or anxiety. It could be the exact opposite, as a person may be bored or preoccupied. It could even be that you get overly excited or nervous. Reasons that cause you to bite your nails could be due to family issues, job issues or some big event in your life.
2. To Bite or Not To Bite
Nail biting is more common than you might think. Young boys and girls both bite their nails. Actually, more boys bite their nails than girls over age 10. The girls usually work out their issues and discontinue the nail biting at an earlier age. Many times for both boys and girls, the nail biting continues into adulthood. Unbelievably, about 50% of adolescents bite their nails while going through puberty. Thankfully, most children stop biting their nails on their own at some point, and most adults stop biting their nails by the time they're 30.
3. Nail Biting Causes Damage to the Fingernails
Biting the nails causes damage to the fingernails. Some bite or tear at the cuticles and soft tissue around the fingernail. Many bite and chew on the fingernail itself. Sometimes the fingertips become very sore, red and even bleed. This makes your fingertips and cuticle areas vulnerable to infections, even serious staph infections. These problems can carry over to your mouth where infections can develop from biting infected nail beds. This can cause some dental problems, all from nail biting. The fingernails may look deformed when they're allowed to grow and it may take a long time to correct the damage of nail biting.
4. Solutions and Help for Healthy Nails
Groom your fingernails by keeping them trimmed, filed smooth and manicured. When they look nice, you're less likely to bite them. Applying nail polish or artificial nails makes the nails more noticeable and helps to keep you from biting them. Men can always try to wear clear nail polish. Apply bitter-tasting solutions designed just for nail biters. Wear gloves or put mittens on children to detour them from nail biting. If one thing doesn't work, find something that will.
5. Break the Stress, Break the Habit
Experiment with stress- and anxiety-management techniques. Talk to your child's teacher to find out if there is some stressful situation that you can help with. Find new activities to refocus your subconscious on. Be supportive of family members who bite their nails. Offer help, offer support, help them to find the solutions that will help them break this habit for their sake and their nails.
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