How To Really Stop Biting Your Nails [This Will Actually Work!]

Biting my nails for me started when I was very young. Unfortunately nail-biting is a habit that can hang around for years and years if left unbothered. This trick stopped me from biting my nails ALMOST IMMEDIATELY! Read on!

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In this blog post:

• What causes you to bite your nails?
• Is biting your nails a mental disorder?
• Why is it so hard to stop biting my nails?
• How to really stop biting your nails. [Trick]
• How to stop biting nails for guys?

What Causes You To Bite Your Nails?

Biting your nails can be a result of many things:

• Primarily, nail-biting is a result of anxiety or stress. The repetitive action seems to help some people cope with challenging emotions and provide some form of relief.

• Secondly, it could just be boredom. Once nail biting becomes a habit, it can become your go-to behavior when you’re waiting around, frustrated, or just plain bored. It’s something you do to keep yourself occupied.

• Thirdly, it could be a habit you developed in times when you wanted to concentrate. You might not be aware that you’re biting your nails while trying to work out a problem.

• Lastly, it could be related to a deeper issue such as certain disorders.

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Is Biting Your Nails A Mental Disorder?

Nail biting is closely related to mental disorders.

Such disorders are anxiety disorder and obsessive-compulsive disorder.

Biting your nails is generally considered a pathological habit characterized by repetitive, seemingly uncontrolled nail biting behavior.

It falls under the category of “Other Specified Obsessive-Compulsive and Related Disorders.”

Nail biting could be related to:

• ADHD
• Anxiety Disorders
• OCD
• Tourette Syndrome

Many studies have even shown that perfectionists have a higher chance of biting their nails. If they are unable to complete a task at an average pace, and when they do not achieve their objectives, they are prone to frustration, impatience, and dissatisfaction.

Why Is It So Hard To Stop Biting My Nails?

Typically, people begin this habit out of boredom or as a reaction to a stressful situation.

Unconsciously, the behavior can start to affect them during routine activities such as watching television or reading.

It can be very difficult to stop because of unique and personal situations and problems people might be facing.

Stress, any form of anxiety, overthinking, perfectionism, or boredom, are all things that we all experience inevitably, some more than others.

Nail biting provides temporary relief almost like sucking your thumb when you were younger, by distracting the brain from the mental commotion.

How To Really Stop Biting Your Nails? [Trick]

Alright! So now we know a little more about why bite your nails and why it’s so difficult to stop.

So, the question remains: How to really stop biting your nails?

This trick worked for me pretty much IMMEDIATELY.

1. Choose a colour that you like.
2. Buy a nail polish in that colour.
3. Manicure time!

Here is the one I used:

Sally Hansen Insta-Dri

That’s it!

Once your nails are coated with nail polish, you won’t even think to put them anywhere near your mouth.

This trick actually worked for me pretty much immediately after I put the nail polish on my nails.

Frequently Asked Questions

What happens when you bite your nails too much?

Here are a few bad things that happen when you bite your nails too much:

• Infection: When you bite off a piece of skin around your nail, such as the cuticles, you are practically exposing the delicate skin all around to whatever pathogen was in your moth, as well as other bacteria. “Paronychia”, a type of infection, can cause swelling, redness, pain, and pus-filled lumps.

• Inflammation: The saliva in your mouth could cause inflammation on the skin around the nails. While saliva aids in digestion, it can be highly damaging to the skin.

• Illness: Our hands come in contact with numerous pathogens and bacteria. By putting them in your mouth, you are exposing your body to whatever is roaming around those fingers. Common cold, flu, even a stomach virus, etc, could result from this.

• Ingrown Nails: Biting your nails or biting-related infections caused by biting your nails, can damage the matrix, a generative layer from which your nails grow. The matrix creates new skin cells, which pushes out the old, dead skin cells to make your nails. As a result, injuries to the nail bed or disorders that affect the matrix can affect your nail growth.

• Teeth Chipping, Erosion, Cracking, Malocclusion: The grinding friction of teeth against nails can gradually wear the enamel away, or even cause teeth to chip or crack. It doesn’t just stop there. Biting nails can also cause them to move, leading to malocclusions (problems with the bite) and gaps.

How to stop biting your nails for guys?

If you are a guy, or just don’t want pink nail polish on your nails, worry not!

There is a solution for you as well!

Wet n Wild Clear Nail Protector

This clear nail protector will add a thick, chemical-y, layer to your nails, and I can promise you, you won’t want anything to do with them!

The nail protector is clear, it might, however, add a shine-like appearance to your nails. It is very little and barely noticeable though! (I can personally attest to that!)

Remember, nail biting is a bad habit and although it might seem impossible to kick it off, there are ways!

My way worked pretty much immediately, and I truly hope that you will give it a try!

Thanks for reading, fit babe!

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