Biting your nails

[Wacky Racer]

Been biting my nails all my life but suddenly stopped 2/3 weeks ago, the funny thing is I didn't make any conscious effort to do so, just don't feel the urge to do so. Really strange.

Cool story bro' and all that.

Anybody else done the same, maybe with smoking?

[gregs656]

This is something I’d like to stop this year.

I have been doing it my whole life and my nail beds are wrecked, but even a minor aesthetic improvement would be welcome.

I’ll start from today and see how I go!

[languagetimothy]

I've had that bad habit for as long as I can remember. However, I'm an (amateur) guitarist and recently I've been doing some studio recording and several tracks the main acoustic guitar part required picking so for this I grew my nails, only on my right hand. I found it surprisingly easy to do. I don't file them or anything so they are a bit rough and sharp.

Additionally, I usually play a lot of tennis but have been injured for a couple of months and Im going to start playing again next week. Bit concerned if I'm going to draw blood when holding the racket.

[Aphex]

I think I'd fall into the dermatophagia bracket with the state of my hands

[Jer_1974]

Anyone still doing it should just stop. You look like a moron, it's extremely irritating for other people and with even great hand hygiene you are putting all sorts of bugs in your mouth when doing it. Really gives me the .

[Wacky Racer]

gregs656 said:

This is something I’d like to stop this year.

I have been doing it my whole life and my nail beds are wrecked, but even a minor aesthetic improvement would be welcome.

I’ll start from today and see how I go!

Good luck...

[Evolved]

Jer_1974 said:

Anyone still doing it should just stop. You look like a moron, it's extremely irritating for other people and with even great hand hygiene you are putting all sorts of bugs in your mouth when doing it. Really gives me the .

ok calm down. It’s a subconscious habit and one that’s very hard to break. The people (like me) that do it, aren’t doing it to annoy people (with anger issues) like you.

[gregs656]

Jer_1974 said:

Anyone still doing it should just stop. You look like a moron, it's extremely irritating for other people and with even great hand hygiene you are putting all sorts of bugs in your mouth when doing it. Really gives me the .

The bugs thing I am not convinced about - or at least - I haven't ever seen any supporting evidence for it.

Wacky Racer said:

Good luck...

Thanks.

[Spragnut]

I used to bite my nails as a kid, and probably well into my late teens on and off. The thing that made me stop was noticing people noticing the state of my finger nails. I worked in retail at the time so it was customers noticing everyday.

I pretty much stopped overnight. If I damage a nail and bite if off instead of getting the clippers I'm always annoyed at my self after!

Once you get over the urge to bite them you'll probably find clipping them once a week and keeping them tidy becomes a habit.

[Shuvi McTupya]

Ah, I see my thread has arrived.

I did quit for about a month last year but then had a quick nibble and the next thing i knew i was back to square one.

My nails are in a shocking state, one in particular really bad..

Should we post pictures to see who is the nail biting king..and if we can stop we can record it in pictorial form

[parabolica]

gregs656 said:

This is something I’d like to stop this year.

I have been doing it my whole life and my nail beds are wrecked, but even a minor aesthetic improvement would be welcome.

I’ll start from today and see how I go!

Same here. I'll start tomorrow

[eldar]

Wacky Racer said:

Been biting my nails all my life but suddenly stopped 2/3 weeks ago, the funny thing is I didn't make any conscious effort to do so, just don't feel the urge to do so. Really strange.

Cool story bro' and all that.

Anybody else done the same, maybe with smoking?

Same here, been chewing my nails for 40 years, then stopped for no reason. That was 10 years ago. Never consciously bit them, then stopped.

[Krikkit]

I was quite bad, I managed to stop by having a set a set of nail clippers in my desk at work, and forced myself to trim them properly whenever the biting urge came along (not at my desk before you ask).

After a couple of weeks I was cured, and actually find it a bit disgusting to watch others do.

[Long Drax]

Are we talking finger nails or toe nails, or both?

[anonymous-user]

It's a disgusting habit, akin to picking your nose (and eating it) or continuously cracking your knuckles. Whatever social situation I find myself in, if I see someone's obviously bitten nails, I take them somewhat less seriously than I would have done otherwise.

Sorry to those of you who do, but have you thought how childish you appear during, or indeed, after the act?

[Gareth79]

I have done since forever. Not as bad as others I have seen, but it's pretty obvious. I stopped a few years ago (assisted with that bitter paint stuff, used as a reminder) but started again :/

I can certainly understand/appreciate how people can fail to stop doing other common habitual activities though - smoking, overeating, spending etc. Nail biting is obviously different in that there's no benefit. edit: It's likely something that responds welll to CBT/hypnotherapy, I should look into this...

had ham said:

Sorry to those of you who do, but have you thought how childish you appear during, or indeed, after the act?

Yes, I think most people who do it will often think about that, however it's an inexplicable thing that requires willpower that many people don't have until they seriously want to try and break the habit. It's like telling a smoker they are doing something harmful and why don't they just stop. (Although the common "I enjoy smoking" as a reply doesn't translate)

Edited by Gareth79 on Friday 31st May 23:42

[sparks_E46]

I can’t stand the noise of someone biting their nails. I don’t normally have anger issues but this, and the sound of other people eating drives me absolutely insane! Chewing gum is the worst.

[Bobberoo99]

I managed to stop myself by cutting my nails really short, it worked, great.........nope I now bite the dry skin on my fingers instead which is worse!!!!

[Shuvi McTupya]

Bobberoo99 said:

I managed to stop myself by cutting my nails really short, it worked, great.........nope I now bite the dry skin on my fingers instead which is worse!!!!

Yeah, i do that too..can be quite painful when you over do it!

[Triumph Man]

Shuvi McTupya said:

Bobberoo99 said:

I managed to stop myself by cutting my nails really short, it worked, great.........nope I now bite the dry skin on my fingers instead which is worse!!!!

Yeah, i do that too..can be quite painful when you over do it!

I tend to nail bite and bite the skin when I’m stressed, to the point my girlfriend will look at my hands and simply say “what are you stressed about now?”