Confessions of a Nail-Biter

For as long as I can remember, my hands have been in my mouth. My teeth chewing away at the skin around my fingertips and leaving them raw. The earliest photos and videos of me show just how long I’ve been biting. At least eleven years of biting and my fingers show the proof.

My fingers are red around the edges and frankly hurt all day. Here is incriminating evidence of my habit———>

You wouldn’t believe how many times I’ve told myself, ‘We’re stopping the nail biting, just DON’T DO IT’. It all ended quite unsuccessfully, though I did manage to stop biting my actual nails and slowed to just the skin. Thank goodness for nail polish right?

A few Q&A on Nail Biting:

Q: Have you tried the nasty tasting nail polish?

A: Yes, and it is awful….I(and this sounds awful) just shrugged it off and got used to the bitter taste….

Q: Don’t you know how bad it is to eat your fingernails and skin?

A: Yes, I don’t actually eat them. I just peel it off and basically spit it out. I’m pretty sure most people do as I and just spit out the chewings. This is sounding worse and worse isn’t it?

Q: Do you bite them in public?

A: I’d have to be super comfortable with people or not care what they think to bite my nails in front of them. The only people that have really seen me eating my nails is my family. My friends probably have no idea that I do.

Q: Why haven’t you just stopped?

A: Why don’t you just stop humming that song stuck in your head? Exactly…for most people, including me, bad habits are very, very hard to stop. It takes (from what I’ve heard) two weeks of not doing it at all to end a bad habit.

Q: Are you going to try to stop now or is this post pointless?

A: This is sooooo not pointless…. And yes, I am going to try different ‘Bad Habit Stoppers’ to try and end an eleven year ordeal. Will you stay and fight your bad habits?

So……. I went over to WebMD and found their list of how to fight a bad habit

• Keep your nails trimmed and filed. Taking care of your nails can help reduce your nail-biting habit and encourage you to keep your nails attractive. CHECK
• Have a manicure regularly or use nail polish. Men can use a clear polish. Wearing artificial nails may stop you from biting your nails and protect them as they grow out. CHECK
• Try stress-management techniques if you bite your nails because you are anxious or stressed. I am not stressed so not this one either:)
• Paint a bitter-tasting polish, such as CONTROL-IT or Thum, on your nails. The awful taste will remind you to stop every time you start to bite your nails. As I am 15 and broke, I will not be buying that….
• Try substituting another activity, such as drawing or writing or squeezing a stress ball or Silly Putty, when you find yourself biting your nails. If you keep a record of nail-biting, you will become more aware of the times when you bite your nails and be able to stop the habit. NEED TO DO
• Snap a rubber band on the inside of your wrist when you start to bite your nails so you have a negative physical response to nail-biting. NEED TO DO (Ouchy)
• Wear gloves, adhesive bandages, or colored stickers whenever possible to remind you not to bite your nails. MIGHT DO….

 

Will you join me in stopping a bad habit??????????

 

I will try each thing and depending on how it works, will post results. I hope to be cleared of nail biting in three weeks. I will add more time if needed…

 

Love, Lizzie A. xoxo