Ever since I can remember, I have bit my nails.  I remember being a  little girl and my dad getting after me for biting my nails.  I was a very shy little girl.  I always thought I bit my nails cause I was nervous.  Once my dad put hot sauce on my fingers to try to deter me from the biting but that didn’t work.  Once the hot sauce was rinsed off I was back at it again.  After that he just let me be and do my own thing. 

Recently, I noticed that not only was I biting my nails but I was peeling and picking away the skin from my cuticles.  Anything that felt rough or out of place had to be gotten rid of.  I don’t only find myself biting when I am nervous anymore.  I do it when I watch movies, when I am at work, driving, pretty much anything I’m doing I can remember biting my nails then also.

I just read an article that really opened my eyes about the whole nail biting thing.  Basically it said that compulsive, habitual nail biting is related to OCD.  The way I understood the article it seems that the biting is the brain’s way of compensating for stimulus.  During a nervous or stressful situation the brain signals for the biting to begin to calm you down.  It also works the other way.  When you are bored the brain will stimulate the biting as a way to occupy the itself.  The article also mentioned that nail biting and skin picking is a form of perfectionism.  Although what you are left with after these behaviors is far from perfect.

In this article they say that the only way to stop this is by retraining yourself.  Every time you feel compulsed to do it, do something else that is not self mutilating.  Another option is medication which is apparently only effective 70% of the time.

I have found that when I have acrylic nails applied I no longer pick at the cuticle skin nor do I bite.  I do however, pick at the nails.  It is important that I go to a good salon that gives a lot of attention to detail otherwise I will literally “pick” apart their work.

I am not going to take Paxil, Zoloft or Prozac.  I will just try and make a consciencious effort to try to stop the behavior.  Afterall, it’s a great excuse to go get my nails done and a pedicure and have a relaxing day at the salon.

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