Nail biting. How can I stop?!

[KISSKISS]

So ever since I can remember I have been a nail biter. It's not just that i bite a little here and there... I can't keep my dang figners out of my mouth! I have no idea why I do this, but it really needs to STOP NOW! My nails look horrible & are so embarrassing. My boyfriend hates them & is always smacking my hands when I'm gnawing away. I feel like I always have to hide my hands. I want to go get fakes put on so that i wont have access to my real nail, but I'm too embarrassed of them to have someone really see them up close & personal. Also I'm not sure how well they would hold because my nails are very uneven.

 

Can anybody give me some advice on how to stop? I'm so desperate to end this disgusting habit! Thanks!

[glegend]

Try putting some salt or something that doesn't taste good on your fingertips so that when you put your nails in your mouth you go "ewww" and immediately pull your fingers out.

[KISSKISS]

i've tried something similar to that before. my mom used to paint my nails (when i was younger) with the kind that tastes really nasty & all i would do is just chew it right off. she used to dip my fingers in vinigar too, but that didnt stop me. it's almost like i just need to wear gloves & duck tape them to my hands for the rest of my life.

[Cognitive_Canine]

I just got fake nails put on last week to prevent me from biting my nails. It'll be kind of expensive, but at least I'm unable to chew my nails (the fake ones are too thick) and my hands look nice. I'm hoping that after 5 or 6 months, I will have gone long enough without biting to not bite them when I take the fake nails off.

 

I don't understand how people quit smoking...this is so difficult.

[KISSKISS]

thats what i would like to do... for now i've been trying just the cheap ones you can do yourself from meijer or wherever... but eventually i'd like them to look decent enough to have somebody do acrylics. until then, i'd just like to learn how to keep them out of my dang mouth!! lol

[sidehop]

My ex used to bite her nails and caught myself doing the same at one point in time...so weird. It took me awhile to stop and also did other things like chew gum or drink water to not bite my nails.

[Shortpants]

I used to bite my nails down to the quick when I was younger. I did do the fake nails and that did help me stop biting, but back in the day they weren't as advanced as they are now, and totally destroyed my nails underneath. But by then I had beat the biting habit and was able to grow new healthy nails in a short time.

 

I think the steps you take to stop depends on if your biting is a stress reaction, or a boredom thing. I found these two links that have some different options on tactics to stop nibbling at the nails:

 

link removed

 

link removed

 

Good luck and STOP BITING!!

[KISSKISS]

ha, that is weird. see i dont think that would help me. i bite all the time. idk if its like a nervous habit or what. i feel like i need to go to counseling or something..but im not spending that kind of money just because i bite..

[KISSKISS]

I used to bite my nails down to the quick when I was younger. I did do the fake nails and that did help me stop biting, but back in the day they weren't as advanced as they are now, and totally destroyed my nails underneath. But by then I had beat the biting habit and was able to grow new healthy nails in a short time.

 

I think the steps you take to stop depends on if your biting is a stress reaction, or a boredom thing. I found these two links that have some different options on tactics to stop nibbling at the nails:

 

link removed

 

link removed

 

Good luck and STOP BITING!!

 

 

thank you so much! reading them now & they actually have some really good stuff. =]

[jengh]

I get fake ones put on... I've gone into the nail salon with my nails looking absolutely atrocious. Don't worry, they've seen far worse than gnawed up nails. When I first got mine done (this was maybe 3 years ago), I couldn't stop staring at my hands.. they looked SO nice!!! Eventually, maybe a couple of months after, I let the natural nail come out and stopped biting them.....BUT, I started again when I came home from England in January and had to have the fake ones put back on.

[Cognitive_Canine]

I get fake ones put on... I've gone into the nail salon with my nails looking absolutely atrocious. Don't worry, they've seen far worse than gnawed up nails. When I first got mine done (this was maybe 3 years ago), I couldn't stop staring at my hands.. they looked SO nice!!! Eventually, maybe a couple of months after, I let the natural nail come out and stopped biting them.....BUT, I started again when I came home from England in January and had to have the fake ones put back on.

 

It was so weird at first because I'd never had nails that were even remotely long. It was hard to type or dial a phone or drive at first. But, I love them now. I'm still really sensitive to them but I think my hands look amazing now. I love clicking my nails on tables and coke cans now. Never been able to do that before.

[jengh]

It was so weird at first because I'd never had nails that were even remotely long. It was hard to type or dial a phone or drive at first. But, I love them now. I'm still really sensitive to them but I think my hands look amazing now. I love clicking my nails on tables and coke cans now. Never been able to do that before.

 

It took FOREVER to get used to them. The first time typing was a nightmare. People started complimenting me on them like crazy, which was so bizarre because I'm so used to my nails being gross.

[Taikero]

I've struggled with this for years. Now I only tend to do it when I'm nervous or worried about something, but I'm still working on cutting it out as much as possible. I also bite my lip and my inner cheek when I'm nervous/worried. Would be nice to be able to stop.

[hahaha1021]

^^^^ Im the exact same. I bite my nails my lips inside of my cheeks. But i don't think im nervous when i do it. I just do it and i can't stop.

[Taikero]

Yeah, I might just be thinking I'm nervous/worried, because I do it a lot lately. Maybe I've got a lot of unconscious stuff going on I'm not aware of...I just don't know. One thing that helps a little bit is when I use some lip balm, but then it sucks to take a drink or bite of anything for a while...Bah.

[KISSKISS]

It was so weird at first because I'd never had nails that were even remotely long. It was hard to type or dial a phone or drive at first. But, I love them now. I'm still really sensitive to them but I think my hands look amazing now. I love clicking my nails on tables and coke cans now. Never been able to do that before.

 

haha i know i feel the same way. i have the worst time trying to button/zip my pants back up!

[greywolf]

My nails are fine, but I pick the skin around my nails all the time. I've noticed that I do it more often when I'm stressed. You've just got to remind yourself not to do it.

[KISSKISS]

My nails are fine, but I pick the skin around my nails all the time. I've noticed that I do it more often when I'm stressed. You've just got to remind yourself not to do it.

 

i do this too... well i just chew it when im nail biting. my fingers look like hell. im so ashamed. i need to stop NOW. i've got a rubber band on my wrist so i can snap myself when i go to bite... hopefully i stick to it and it helps.

[LAYAAN]

Paint your nails. Apply a thick coat. You won't be able to bite 'em off easily. Normally when a person gets nervous, anxious they tend to bite off their nails. Find something else to do, chew a gum or something.