InsertNameHere

Just thought I would ask about this. I have been a habitual nail biter for as long as I remember, I don't like having any "white" on my nails and will pick at them constantly. scince trying to quit drinking I have gotten worse especially on my thumb nails taking them down to the point of bleeding and so that they are tender for a week after. I end up using a knife or a pen to shave down the larger parts and find myself constantly feeling them for places to trim down. I don't know if it is anxiety or just a bad habit getting worse but figured I would throw it out there and see if anyone has a good way to deal with it.

Thanks

INH

Morning Glory

You might find info here.

Let me Google "Onychophagia" for you

InsertNameHere

No joke it honestly never occurred to me to just google it, which is weird. Thanks Morning Glory.

INH

JustAYak

Thought I don't experience this exact thing, I often bite my lips and peel away skin on them, so much so that they bleed (gross I know). My lips always appear cracked and chapped because of this...I too am not sure if I just have a bad habit or if it's something I do when I'm nervous/anxious...I haven't paid close enough attention. The first therapist I had told me it was a type of self-harm, but I don't buy that, I don't think I do it because I need to "feel something" like self-harmers generally do... at it's worst, I think it's just a compulsive behavior.

InsertNameHere

reading from what Morning Glory posted it is a impulse control problem which I can completely agree with.

JustAYak

I read some of that link, which lead me to a "Dermatophagia" page. I guess that is what my compulsion or habit would technically be called. I guess I can also agree that it's a compulsion...it's difficult to stop, at least for me. It's not a top priority for me to take care of though I guess, I'm not really bothered by it, I just notice myself doing it a lot.

I hope you find a way to manage.

InsertNameHere

I am currently deciding if it is a problem for me as well. It dosen't bother me all that much except when I go a little overboard and it becomes difficult to do certain things, like buttoning a shirt. My other fingers don't bother me but I have a strange obseshion with my thumb nails and I don't like to be able to feel any part of them being bigger than the rest. I end up trimming them down with a knife or other sharp object much shorter then the rest of my nails which I just don't like to have any white on. Like you I don't think it is any form of wanting to hurt myself I try to avoid that honestly it is just that I don't like it if I can feel them. I rub them with my index finger constantly looking for a portion that I can trim down. I think I did that about 20 times while typing this. hmmm, maybe I need to establish some rules regarding them like not trimming them with anything other than actual fingernail clippers as you can only get them so short with those. I did that before just to see what they would look like maybe its time to do so again.

INH

Lily

INH,

I have bitten my fingernails and surrounding skin for years. I did start painting my nails and that has helped a LOT, I have not bitten them for a few years, but I still mess w/ the surrounding skin. I have done it my entire life.

I'll bet if we kept our fingers out of our mouth we would get sick less.

it drives my husband nuts.

lily