How can I break a habit I've had for years?

Question

Ok, this may sound really gross but I have this HORRIBLE habit of chewing my nails. It used to be just nibbling them, but now I'm chewing them until they hurt and bleed. I started when I was 7, and I haven't been able to stop no matter what. Nothing is helping. Not keeping my hands busy, not that gross stuff you put on them, nothing! Please help!!!

Answer 1

If your case is that serious, the only think I can think of for you to do is; to wear gloves all the time (except when you go to bed, unless you do it at night too). Like, wear light gloves so that you don't get too hot or swet too much. But yea, wearing gloves will really help, because it'll prevent you from biting your nails.
I know it sounds crazy but I have a friend who did it and it really worked!!

Answer 2

I do the same thing. I have chewed on my nails and cuticles since I was you.....over 40 years now. I was warned by my uncle that it would ruin my nail beds and it has. I was threatened by my ex-husband to stop as it was nerve wracking to him and he would slap my hands. But it did not help. I did find out about 10 years ago that I have a bad thyroid. The thyroid helps the nails to grow healthily. I have to take synthroid now but the damage is done between the thyroid and my biting.

When I have some money I will get false nails from the nail salon and they help. I cannot get to my nails or cuticles to bite them. My nails and fingers heal and look great. As long as I have the money, my nails look good. But when I run out I cannot afford it and I turn right back to nail biting.

I have tried everything from hand lotion, vaseline, nasty tasting polish, hot sauce, painting my nails, keeping a nail clipper and file handy, sitting on my hands.....everything! I just can't seem to stop no matter how much I want to. Sorry I am not much help but it seems to be a nervous habit that cannot be broken.

Good Luck!! :)

Answer 3

habits take 21-30 days to make or break... what you are doing by putting this question to the forum is brainstorming ideas... some may sound outlandish, some boring, some practical, etc. Brainstorming is taking ideas from various sources and weeding through them to find what works. By brainstorming, you are working in the 3rd of the 6 "stages of change" - preparation. The 4th stage is called action and it means that you are putting an idea into play and giving it a chance to work... remember - 21-30 days... the 5th stage - maintenance - is when you apply the action step and you volley back and forth between action and maintenance until your goal of not biting is accomplished. Should you see that this idea isn't working for you, you go back to step 3 -preparation - and choose another idea to put into play. Once you've conquered your habit completely, you can move into the 6th stage - termination (I hate that word tho) and at that point you have achieved a state called unconscious competence... you no longer have any desire to bite and it is not tempting... it's as if you never had the bad habit to begin with (most people never reach this stage - they stay at conscious competence which means that you need to stay conscious of the goal of not biting.

We have all the strength inside of ourselves to conquer our tendencies if that is what we truly desire.

Another way of approaching this can be to use a modified Johari window.... take a sheet of paper and divide it into four equal parts... one section is labeled Pros of biting... one Cons of biting... one Pros of NOT biting... and the last Cons of NOT biting... often we make pro and con lists but we never consider the flip side which often gives us insight into why we do some of the things we do.

I know I haven't specifically answered your question, but you can use the top tool to prioritize the answers you get in this forum and give those that make sense a fair shot.

The feeling of success alone once you DO conquer this habit can be the motivation to not resume the habit. Just be aware that in times of extreme stress, old habits can come back... be mindful.

Good luck :)

Answer 4

I used to bite my nails and cuticles till they bled. I had the very same habit for over a decade and they way that I broke it is that I would stop chewing on my index fingers first. Then, once it became normal to just chew on the rest of my fingers, I would stop chewing on my middle fingers too, then my ring finers, until I only chewed on my thumbs. Thumbs were really hard to break, but just cutting back on which nails you chew should help.

You might mess up sometimes, but file them, so that they're not rough (I couldn't bear not to chew on rough nails), wear lotion, so that your cuticles aren't hard and frayed (another thing I had to chew), remind yourself that those fingers are off limits, and take out your habit on the rest of your fingers.

Answer 5

Though my problem is with cigarette smoking--we have some common things to at least cut down:

1- Keep your hands in water as much as possible. You can't bite (or smoke) with wet hands. Shower, swim, wash dishes, clean knick-knacks, take bubble baths, wash the car by hand, etc.

2- Use gloves or mittens. Really hard to bite (smoke) with mittens on your hands. Wear them indoors and out. They use them to keep babies from scratching their faces up.

3- Reward yourself for not biting--

4- Think about how a nice manicure will look when your nails grow--and check out all the color polishes you would like

5- Keep photos of long, lovely nails by your bed, on the fridge, anywhere you will see them often.

6- Go to the beauty supply store (or department store) and check out all of the nail supplies there are

7- Try on rings--think of how nice they would look with nice nails

8- As a last resort, have some fake nails applied--you won't be able to bite your real nails with them on.

Good luck--you'll stop--how soon is up to you!

Answer 6

You can try getting a manicure.For one thing you probably wont chew on fake nails cause its not the same and the expense of getting your nails done might deter you.Everyone is gonna say how beautiful your nails are and i think that will help you keep your mouth off of them.Hand to mouth like that is like smoking.Its not so much about the cigarette as it is the hand to mouth.

Answer 7

1. Confront your problem. Get a camera and take some pictures of your bitten fingernails. Examine your nails, and list their problems.
2. Visualize yourself with healthy nails, and how great they will look.
3. Pick at least one nail to "protect" at a time.
* After a few days, an unbitten nail will flourish and reward you. Do not bite it. If you must, bite one of the 'unprotected' ones.
* Once you have grown your unbitten nail for a while, start protecting another one. And another.
4. Record your progress in a notebook or photo album. Take "before and after" photos of your nails and put them in the book to keep you motivated. Recognizing that it usually takes takes three weeks to grow nails half a centimeter, chart out in the book how long you want your nails to be by a certain date.
5. Eat calcium- and magnesium- rich foods so that your nails will repair and grow well. Not only that, but most of the reason that the human body wants to bite nails is the lack of calcium and magnesium in the body and the body needs that material back.
6. Find a habit to take the place of nail biting. Whenever you have the urge to bite, do that instead. Some people like to drum their fingers, or just stare at their hands. Just make sure it's not a bad habit; choose a helpful one or one that doesn't really matter either way.

* 'Bitrex' is a chemical that is put in products to make them taste foul, obtained from your local pharmacy. It's included in nibble inhibitors that you paint on to your nails. Carry some with you at all times. Apply your nasty solution several times a day. If you get used to the taste, choose another brand.

7. Distract your mouth. Eat carrot sticks to keep you busy. Keep a stick of gum handy for those weak moments.
8.
No more idle hands..
Enlarge
No more idle hands..
Distract your hands by taking up a hobby.

A hobby to distract your hands might be making models or maintaining your house, knitting or crochet, running or other outside pursuits, or even nail care and decoration!

For those whose nail biting is obsessive/compulsive it may help to approach your hobby obsessively.
9. Cover your nails. For females, fit artificial nails. They can really help. For guys, polish them and apply some shine/growth promoter or petroleum jelly. It's harder to bite nails that are looking great!

* Keep gloves in your back pocket and wear them when you want to bite.
* Put little pieces of tape on the ends of your fingers, to remind yourself how destructive biting is.

10. If you have any surplus growth, cut your nails back. Keep clippers with you at all times. You can't bite if there's nothing there!
11. Speaking about your nails will help to focus your mind on your goals. Ask for help from your partner(s). Keep talking about your goals.

* Show off your improved nails, and get much-needed encouragement and praise from your peers.
12. Be proud of your improving nails. They will shine with beauty.
13. Go for a manicure, and chat with the manicurist about having great nails.

* If you are male and you go in for a manicure and anyone gives you grief for not being manly, just say you are taking radical steps, whatever it takes. That should be manly enough for anyone.

14. Keep looking after your nails, with cuticle oil, shine and growth promoter, and no biting!

Answer 8

I just quit smoking cigarettes (have been smoking for 11 years) and I did it by just stopping. I understand it is a bit harder when you have to take your fingers with you wherever you go so the temptation is always there. It takes two weeks to break a habit, so get started and good luck

Answer 9

Wrapping tape around fingertips helps. Take it off at night before bed so to let the blood circulate. and put back on in the morning. You can't bite your fingernails unless you bite off the tape, by then, you'll remember not to bite your nails and retape your fingertips again. i hope this works for you.

Answer 10

I had the same problem and never got over it. When I wanted long nails, I'd go have acrylics, now that I'm older, I just accept it.