What are the causes of habitual nail biting?
Habitual nail biting, known as "onychophagia", is a disorder belonging to the BFRB group (body focused repetitive behavior). It occurs in people of all ages. It manifests itself by uncontrollably putting your hands in your mouth and biting your nails and epidermis. The first disturbing signals can be noticed already in childhood (around 4 years of age).
Some people "grow out" of this habit, but there are also those who struggle with it in adulthood. If you are one of them, you are probably wondering how to stop biting your nails ? Before you find out the answer, let's look at what may be the causes of onychophagia.
As a rule, the problem is psychological. Its appearance is associated with stress, anxiety or nervousness. Some people bite their nails only when negative emotions arise (this is a mild form of onychophagia). In turn, in others it is a deliberate action that may be the result of neurosis.
Regardless of the reason, finding the answer to the question of how not to bite your nails is very important. Not only because showing your hands with bitten nails is embarrassing.
Nail biting is a habit that can lead to malocclusion, crooked front teeth, and gingivitis. Moreover, putting your hands in your mouth is an easy way to become infected with bacteria or viruses. Therefore, it is worth fighting against habitual nail biting for both aesthetic and health reasons.
How to stop biting your nails?
Not only parents of children, but also adults struggling with onychophagia wonder what to do to stop biting their nails? There are different ways to do this. Here are a few of them.
Learn to deal with negative emotions in a different way
The best solution is to avoid situations that trigger negative emotions. Unfortunately this is not always possible. Therefore, it is good for you to have a plan B. What to do when you are nervous or stressed?
One option is to prepare healthy snacks that you will always have at hand. These can be sunflower seeds, almonds or nuts. When you get angry, stressed or simply feel bored, instead of putting your hands to your mouth you will reach for something healthy to eat.
If you are afraid that snacking will disturb your diet, you can use a different method. Buy a small anti-stress ball that you can squeeze in your hand when you feel negative emotions. Using it is a great way to get rid of the habit of biting your nails and strengthen your muscles.
You can use the methods mentioned above temporarily when you feel negative emotions. It is important that, in addition to them, you also do something that will help you reduce tension and stress in the long run. Consider signing up for yoga or pilates, and if you don't have time, try to find a few minutes a day to practice relaxation techniques at home.
Use special gels or varnishes that will discourage you from biting your nails
If you are wondering what to do to stop biting your nails, you may be interested in special gels or varnishes for people with this problem. They have a bitter taste, so as soon as you put your hand in your mouth you will immediately want to take it out. After some time, the sight of an unpleasant taste in your mouth should discourage you from biting your nails.
Unfortunately, it may turn out that the desire to release negative emotions will be stronger. If using special varnishes or gels turns out to be a bad decision, there is one more option.
Combine business with pleasure and choose hybrid nail polishes!
Reaching for healthy snacks in stressful situations, squeezing an anti-stress ball or relaxation techniques do not bring sufficient results? If you are still looking for a way to stop biting your nails , maybe it is worth considering a hybrid?
Thanks to hybrid varnishes, you won't be able to bite your nails, so your problem will disappear. Moreover, the right styling completely complements their appearance. A wide selection of hybrid varnishes, stickers, powders, self-adhesive tapes, etc. allows you to change the appearance of your nails depending on the occasion, season or mood.
Getting a hybrid seems to be the perfect answer to the question of how not to bite your nails , but are you afraid that you won't find time for regular visits to a beauty salon? It's not a problem. With the help of a special set, you can create a hybrid manicure in your own home! If you are doing it for the first time, a good choice will be a starter set, e.g. "STARTER SET FIRST CHOICE". You will find a hybrid varnish, a base and a top (in one bottle), an ECO 12W/36 LED lamp, a degreaser for washing nails, a product for removing hybrid varnish, a 100/180 boat polisher to matt the nail plate and wooden sticks with which you can remove styling or push back the cuticles.
Nail biting is a habit that is not always easy to get rid of. However, it is worth spending some time finding a way to combat nail biting. If you find it, you will be able to forget about hiding your hands in your pockets. In addition, you will take care of your health, because onychophagia can also lead to dental problems.
