Nail-biting is a common habit found among many people around the world. Everyone bites nails in their childhood but it is an issue when you continue to bite even in your adolescence. Biting nails is an automatic thing that happens even before you start to think about it. Researchers have said that people with certain mental health conditions like obsessive-compulsive disorder, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, separation anxiety disorder, etc. may develop a habit of biting nails but not everyone has this. This habit can be stopped when you have patience and self-control. In rare cases, when people could not stop biting nails and develop various health risks should consult a doctor to overcome this.
What makes you bite nails?
Although the real reason behind this developed habit is unknown, some of the most common reasons based on the studies have brought us to these:
- Stress and Anxiety – These are commonly found among many people. Due to workload, everyone develops stress and it is difficult to overcome this mental condition. When you feel separated, you create the habit of biting your nails to keep you occupied.
- Might be Genetic – Some children learn to bite nails on seeing their parents.
- Feeling boredom – To keep you occupied and to fight boredom, some start to bite nails but it is not an issue if this doesn’t repeat.
- Concentration – Have you seen anyone biting nails in the meeting hall? It is just their way of staying focused.
Apart from these above-mentioned scenarios, the actual cause or mindset behind biting nails is still unknown.
Risks of biting nails
Would you like to know when to stop biting nails? Here are the certain risks or side effects that follow with nail-biting.
- Fungal or Bacterial Infection – we all know fingers and nails are the hotspots for many germs, these get into your stomach and causes infections in the intestines.
- Dental Problems – Due to the continuous chipping, the teeth will get misaligned which brings an unpleasant smile. A few studies show that vigorous biting can create Jaw problems too.
- In-grown nails – Improper growth of nails is another risk that affects the entire finger with pain, swelling, redness, and bleeding.
- Thinning or discoloration of nails – continuous biting or cracking nails will affect the overall nail health resulting in thin or discolored. Usually makes them pale white or yellowish.
How to prevent it?
Anyone who has this habit and faced many awkward situations wants to come out of it. Here are a few simple tips that can help you prevent:
- Trimming nails – Ragged edges trigger you to begin biting. To avoid this, follow a weekly routine to trim the nails. You can also choose to do a manicure every week to have good-looking nails. The point is if you make them appear beautiful or not letting them grow longer will help you stop biting.
- Wearing gloves – Although it is difficult to bring this into practice, at least you can avoid creating awkward situations when you are in a meeting and caught biting your nails.
- Coating with bitter nail polish – Yes, these products are available in the market to help you stop biting nails.
- Replacing the habit – Overcoming a habit doesn’t happen overnight, it takes time. If you get the thought to bite a nail try to bring a second thought like using fidgets, stress balls, etc.
Apart from these, if you have certain mental health conditions as we discussed in the first paragraph, it is better to consult a doctor who suggests therapies to overcome.
