The other name for compulsive nail biting is nail biting disorder, and it is also known as Onychophagia! Although, nail biting is a common human tendency, too much of it can definitely prove harmful, both on a physical and psychological level! A person is said to be suffering from compulsive nail biting, when a repetitive behavior towards biting and destroying the fingernails, as well as the skin around the finger nails and the cuticles is observed. Most people find nail biting as the only way to calm themselves down. It is an unconscious activity done by the person, wherein most of the time, he/she doesn't even realize when their teeth start biting on the nails! Psychiatrists believe compulsive nail biting to be a form of impulsive control disorder and generally people suffering from Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD), have this disorder as well.
What Causes Compulsive Nail Biting?
Compulsive nail picking is very common in children, especially those aged between 10-18 years. While this is a very commonly noticeable human behavior, nail biting habit usually stops when the children reach their adulthood. Although, in some cases, nail biting can continue till the age of 30, and then stop on its own! For those who find it difficult to overcome this disorder, the culprits for this condition could be both environmental and biological factors, which are the main nail biting causes! Biting nails helps them stimulate their minds, calm their minds, giving them the motivation to think. Many people also keep on biting their nails in order to achieve perfection in the way their nails appear. However, in most cases, the more they bite to make their nails look good, the worse their nails start getting! With the course of time, their brains start getting programmed in similar ways and causes the person to bite nails when looking for stimulation, calmness, self soothing and perfection!
How to Stop Compulsive Nail Biting
Nail biting can damage your nail cuticles and skin severely! If you are a nail biter, then just a look at your finger nails will give you the picture! The skin around your nails would be broken, the shape of the nails would be uneven. The area around the nails would be red, swollen and even bleeding when you bite again! All these signs and symptoms can lead to many problems in your day to day life! Not only this, compulsive nail biting, if left untreated can also lead to deformed nails and abnormal nail growth. As far as how to stop biting nails is concerned, there are many remedies, treatments and changes in lifestyle, that can help you in getting rid of nail biting! The same are mentioned in the next section.
Compulsive Nail Biting Remedies
One of the effective nail biting remedies is to consume the vitamin B inositol. Intake of this vitamin helps the person to reduce the urge to bite their nails. Inositol helps enhance serotonin in the brain which helps treat disorders which are related to obsessive compulsion disorders! Other remedies include:
Nail biting treatment includes both medications and psychotherapy! The medications are usually antidepressants, which are the same as the medications used to treat patients of obsessive compulsive disorder. Psychotherapy includes cognitive behavior therapy which involves many useful techniques like,
What Causes Compulsive Nail Biting?
Compulsive nail picking is very common in children, especially those aged between 10-18 years. While this is a very commonly noticeable human behavior, nail biting habit usually stops when the children reach their adulthood. Although, in some cases, nail biting can continue till the age of 30, and then stop on its own! For those who find it difficult to overcome this disorder, the culprits for this condition could be both environmental and biological factors, which are the main nail biting causes! Biting nails helps them stimulate their minds, calm their minds, giving them the motivation to think. Many people also keep on biting their nails in order to achieve perfection in the way their nails appear. However, in most cases, the more they bite to make their nails look good, the worse their nails start getting! With the course of time, their brains start getting programmed in similar ways and causes the person to bite nails when looking for stimulation, calmness, self soothing and perfection!
How to Stop Compulsive Nail Biting
Nail biting can damage your nail cuticles and skin severely! If you are a nail biter, then just a look at your finger nails will give you the picture! The skin around your nails would be broken, the shape of the nails would be uneven. The area around the nails would be red, swollen and even bleeding when you bite again! All these signs and symptoms can lead to many problems in your day to day life! Not only this, compulsive nail biting, if left untreated can also lead to deformed nails and abnormal nail growth. As far as how to stop biting nails is concerned, there are many remedies, treatments and changes in lifestyle, that can help you in getting rid of nail biting! The same are mentioned in the next section.
Compulsive Nail Biting Remedies
One of the effective nail biting remedies is to consume the vitamin B inositol. Intake of this vitamin helps the person to reduce the urge to bite their nails. Inositol helps enhance serotonin in the brain which helps treat disorders which are related to obsessive compulsion disorders! Other remedies include:
- Lifestyle changes like applying a bitter solution on the nails so that whenever you bite on them, the bitter taste prevents you from continuing!
- Wearing gloves or keeping your hands engaged all the time would help you control this disorder.
- Another way to refrain yourself from nail biting is to always keep your nails trimmed. This way you wouldn't be tempted to bite them as it would eventually hurt you.
Nail biting treatment includes both medications and psychotherapy! The medications are usually antidepressants, which are the same as the medications used to treat patients of obsessive compulsive disorder. Psychotherapy includes cognitive behavior therapy which involves many useful techniques like,
- Self Monitoring: This technique makes the patient aware of his/her behavior and increases the awareness towards his nail biting, so that the person can have a sense of control through self monitoring!
- Habit Reversal Training: It is a four phase technique which teaches the person to relax, breathe, feel more centered and indulge in muscle response exercises!
- Stimulus Control: This technique helps the patient identify and control the factors that trigger the habit of nail biting!
- Competing Response: This technique focuses to keep the patient busy with other alternatives, so that the hands are always busy and there is reduction in the urge to bite nails.
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