Can't Stop Biting

[Mahina]

One of my goals is to stop biting my nails and I can't seem to get any traction on this! I can go a day without biting them but then they start peeling. So I try to get the peeling bits off and that takes away that whole nail. Then I start getting stressed about it and I just end up biting them anyway.

 

I've been trying to stop biting my nails for years now and I swear I've tried every trick in the book. I've tried fakes and bad tasting polish. I even wore gloves for weeks on end just so I couldn't see them. But nothing has worked.

 

Does anyone have any advice?

[Ghost]

Try keeping a bit of paper with you, and marking with an x every time you bite. And once you get an urge but stop yourself, put an o.

Brings your attention to what, when and why you bite. Worked for me.

[Mahina]

That sounds really good for work. I end up biting when I'm working on a particularly difficult problem so I tend to do it mindlessly. Should bring it back to the forefront.

[I-Jo]

Baby spoons. The rubber ones that babies teeth on. I used to chew on one in college. Easy way to keep my mouth busy without eating food or chewing nails.

[KAllen]

Dip your fingers in Tabasco!!! 

 

I thought their was some sort of stuff that people put on fingers to make it taste bad for thumbsuckers.

 

Have you tried just chewing gum?

[Mahina]

I-Jo - I don't mind replacement stuff but I don't think I can chew on baby spoons at work and that is where I do the majority of my biting.

 

KAllen- I tried the bad tasting stuff but it wouldn't stop me. I just chewed the polish off. I tried gum and it works for a while, but then my jaw gets really tired.

[Mad Hatter]

I do exactly the same thing, I pretty much only bite when concentrating hard in front of the computer. What helped me is switching to a standing desk. That wasn't the main purpose of course but I noticed that when I couldn't slouch and hang on my elbow I actually sort of stopped biting as well. Win-win.

 

Also have a nail file and scissors next to you at all times and as soon as you see any loose bits trim them off instead of biting them off. 

[Teirin]

This may not work for you but I just started thinking about all of the stuff that I worked with in the lab at the time.  That was enough to make me stop.

[KAllen]

Have you ever tried licking Tabasco off your nails???  It's rather hot...and delicious...but hot!!!

[Mahina]

I've found that as I've severely decreased my soda intake (and the caffeine that went with it), I've also stopped biting nearly as much. Now it's only a want if I get bored. I've also purchased a mini manicure set to make sure my nails are as clean as pretty as possible for as long as possible. It's been about three days since I really bit anything, give to take a hangnail here or there.