How do I stop this habit?

Question

When I am in school, I have a tendency to bite my nails and/or cuticle skin when I am in the middle of class. The negativity of this for me is that...


1. It grosses out the people sitting in my area
2. It makes my nails look dirty and messy ( unappealing to making new friends)
3. Leaves bruises and cuts on fingers and leaves nails uneven

This problem has been going on for a number of years. How can I stop this habit?

Answer 1

Self control is a major part of trying to stop biting your fingernails. Here are some suggestions to help you break the habit.

Steps
Wrap an Ace bandage around the elbow, making it difficult, but not impossible, to move your hand to your mouth.
Buy non-toxic gels/liquid which you can put on your finger nails so that when you go to bite your nails, you'll get a bad taste. After a few times, you'll get the hint not to do it anymore.
Give yourself a reward for quitting. Say you'll buy yourself something nice, get yourself a pet, whatever. It may sound childish, but when a reward is involved, anyone will hop to it.
Tap yourself with a bamboo stick whenever you feel you're going in for the bite. Don't hurt yourself, just make it known to yourself that it's not a good idea. Alternatively, wear an elastic band loosely around your wrist. When you get the urge to nibble, give yourself a snap!
Keep your hands busy. Take up a hobby which will keep your hands preoccupied.
Wear gloves - if all else fails.
Another alternative paint your nails... with nail polish (duh!) and something in your mind makes you NOT want to bite your nails. Try it and you'll have gorgeous nails in no time!
Men (and women, but especially men) who bite their nails can benefit from using "hard-as-steel-strengthening" or "miracle-grow" brush-on nail treatments. These thicken and strengthen the nail so much that it's hard to bite the nail off. They're clear, too, so no one will question your masculinity.
If you find yourself slipping and biting a nail, accept the fact that you're human and that you're in the process of stopping. Praise yourself for the length of time you went without biting your nails and see if you can break the record next time.



Tips
It may take a while depending on what method you try, but as long as you stick with it, every day, then you should be fine.
It is easier to replace an old behavior with a new behavior than to simply stop the old behavior. For example, when you want to bite your fingernails, chew a stick of gum instead.
Set yourself a time-bound goal, such as "I will try not to bite my nails for the next three days." It's often much easier to tackle things in smaller chunks like this, rather than viewing it as an infinite, looming amount of time.
If you're on a limited budget, you can coat your nails with the juice of a habañero pepper. (However, don't do this if there are any hangnails or cuts around the nails, however small, and don't rub your eyes anytime afterwards.)
You are either controlled by the mind or you control the mind. Start and prepare your mind.
If you are trying to stop biting your nails, and you're a girl, put on several coats of hard, bright-colored nail polish. It will make your nails harder, making biting difficult, and the bright color will serve as a constant reminder. Also, most people think nail polish tastes bad, which will make you think twice before you bite.
If you're a guy and you bite your nails, just put on a few layers of clear nail polish. It won't be very noticeable (unless someone notices that your nails are unusually shiny and smooth), but it will do the trick.



Warnings
It's been said that it generally takes 3 weeks for an activity to begin to become ingrained as a habit. Be prepared for some difficult days and nights as you attempt to break this habit. For some, the habit of nail-biting is as difficult to break as the habit of smoking.
Observe someone who bites his/her fingernails, admit how pathetic it looks, and realize how you look to the others when you do the same.

Answer 2

The fact that you are aware of it, and want to stop, means you have a good chance of successfully doing so. Here's something that can help -- go to a spa or beauty salon and get a full-scale manicure, complete with false nails. You can't nibble false nails, and the protection they give will allow your own nails to grow.
Try it, and hopefully it will help you. The worst that will happen is that you'll have lovely nails for a couple of days!

Answer 3

Get a necklace that hangs low enough to touch, and when trying to bite your nails, reach for the necklace instead. You might also try carrying a rock, die, or eraser with you and constantly holding it. This last one is kind of gross but it's effective. Spray an awful smelling perfume on your fingers, or dip them in onion juice (it takes almost a week for the smell to be completely gone, so I suggest doing it over a long weekend or break).

Answer 4

1. you would not make a lot of friends doing that
2. It looks really bad and looks really messy true
3. You could not get nots out of some things
4. You use nails for a lot of things
5. All true things promice

Answer 5

Get yourself a nice fat rubberband the size of your wrist. When you want to bite your nails, just pop that rubberband and it will sting the hell out of you and create an adversion to biting your nails. Yes...it is a very nasty habit and you can get sick for doing it. But the rubberband trick will work for alot of things: smoking, nail biting, munching....try it. Godloveya.

Answer 6

There is a clear nail polish that is for nail biters. It's really bitter and is suppose to deter you. Go to the nail polish section and pick it up any any store.

Answer 7

May be you need to see a psychologists, it might be anther issue
manifesting in a nail biting. In short might need help to stop this problem.

Answer 8

Sorry I can't help, as I have had the same habit for YEARS!!! But I don't bite my nails, jagged nails drive me CRAZY!!!

Answer 9

put like some type of juice you really don't like on your nails every day before school...like lemon juice or so0mething

Answer 10

Easy.....scratch your bum with both hands before going to school ?????????