Nail-Biting Habit

[MarzipanDragyn]

I've had it my whole life, and usually never consciously realized I was doing it. Although, last year, I found a way to stop (which wasn't intended, but it worked).
I started painting my nails. The first time, I was actually trying to grow out my nails so that my mother could paint them, as she'd been wanting to for a while. I discovered shortly afterwards that I wouldn't bite my nails, as I didn't want to mess up the paint. After doing it a few times, I stopped chewing them off all together.
Just a regular old clear coat will work too, because that stuff doesn't taste good, and it's a much better option than pepper spraying or putting spice on your fingers, both for your mouth and your eyes.
Not only am I getting good painting practice, but I've also kicked a bad habit thanks to it! Now if I could stop putting my nails near my mouth at all, I'd be set.

 

[Mairmalade]

Right there with you.

I have an awful nail biting habit that also extends to ripping the skin around them, which causes them to bleed. Both my cuticles and nails are not pretty.

It usually happens when I'm feeling nervous (dealing with something stressful or in a new situation). It also happens when I get extremely busy.

I've never been able to kick either completely.

 

[seularin]

i started doing this when i was around 4 when i was watching a japanese drama where the main character was biting her nails from nervousness

 

[mocha.]

I go through phases when I don't bite and my nails go super long, and then one of them will chip and it's all downhill from there!

I was exactly like you - hated nail biting and never bit my nails until I was around 16? and then I started and find it really hard to stop. It's a bad habit but can be unlearned if you're willing to try. I'm reading a book at the moment called Atomic Habits which is all about getting rid of bad habits and forming good ones, might be helpful for you to take a look!

I've not been biting my nails as much but I still have one nail I focus on biting for some reason and always have my hands near my mouth which is obviously awful for the situation we're in. I sometimes don't even realise I'm biting them until my boyfriend points it out and asks me what's wrong lol!

 

[EpicGamer12]

I used to do this but one day I just decided to cut my nails instead. I know I got off lucky, because my fiancee has quite the issue kicking her habit. She can stop for short amounts of time by wearing nail polish, but when the polish wears off she just goes back to biting them. Definitely a difficult habit to kick.

 

[Vextro]

I never had that problem. I always thought to myself how disgusting it would be to have all those germs in my mouth and just all the stuff I touch with my hands, I do not want them in my body!

 

[staticistic1114]

I go through phases when I don't bite and my nails go super long, and then one of them will chip and it's all downhill from there!

I was exactly like you - hated nail biting and never bit my nails until I was around 16? and then I started and find it really hard to stop. It's a bad habit but can be unlearned if you're willing to try. I'm reading a book at the moment called Atomic Habits which is all about getting rid of bad habits and forming good ones, might be helpful for you to take a look!

I've not been biting my nails as much but I still have one nail I focus on biting for some reason and always have my hands near my mouth which is obviously awful for the situation we're in. I sometimes don't even realise I'm biting them until my boyfriend points it out and asks me what's wrong lol!

AHHHH THE NAIL CHIPPING ME TOO that book sounds interesting, gonna look it up! thanks ♡

 

[Alyx]

I've been biting my nails since I was really small, like Kindergarten. I've never found a solution that worked long term.

 

[hzl]

I'm a germaphobe so I never put my hands in my mouth, but instead I pick the skin around my cuticles. It's gotten really bad recently, I now always seem to have a scab or bandaid on my right thumb. Its a vicious cycle because as the skin heals, it leaves a scab or dead skin/hang nail behind that is just asking to be picked off, then I start bleeding again, and it repeats. If it continues to get worse I think I will seek help...

biting nails often relates to anxiety or Onychophagia which is a form of compulsive disorder. Because you said it's triggered by schoolwork maybe try to do something to relax or calm yourself beforehand, or set out a relaxed schoolwork plan which doesn't cause you to become anxious (you may be subconsciously anxious about the work or something related to it)