DR. WALLACE: It seems that in this era of COVID-19 coupled with the ugly news I often notice going on around the world, I find myself stressed about everything every day. I then chew and bite my fingernails to reduce my stress and anxiety.
I know I’m not supposed to do this, and I’ve tried to stop, but I just can’t seem to avoid biting my nails for at least a few minutes every day.
Most of the time I don’t even know I’m doing it at first, and then my conscious mind kicks in and I realize in horror that I’m doing it yet again. Do you have any ideas on how I might try to stop this annoying habit? — Need To Stop Biting, via email
NEED TO STOP BITING: Nail biting can be a sign of stress or boredom and is often considered to be a type of obsessive-compulsive disorder.
Here are a few tips and suggestions on how to quit biting your nails:
No. 1: Consider applying a bitter-tasting nail polish to your fingernails. This way, if you subconsciously start to bite your nails with this polish applied, you’ll instantly realize it and can stop immediately.
No. 2: Try to identify your triggers for biting in the first place. Physical triggers, which could be hangnails or long fingernails that are uneven, for example, may trigger you. You may be prone to other triggers, including boredom, stress or anxiety as you have indicated. By figuring out what causes you to bite your nails, you’ll have a better plan for how to avoid these situations and may then be better able to stop.
No. 3: Keep your nails short. The shorter they are, the less likely you are to chew on them.
No. 4: Wear a light pair of gloves when feasible. This will build up longer periods of time when you’ll be keeping your fingers out of your mouth.
No. 5: Think about hygiene. Putting your hand into your mouth regularly exposes you to a lot of nasty bacteria that your fingers pick up during the day. This is why we wash our hands often to keep them clean.
Nail biting typically begins for most individuals during childhood and an unfortunate few continue this habit into and throughout adulthood. Repeated nail biting can damage the skin around the nail, and it can also damage sensitive tissue that helps nails to grow.
For some individuals, chronic nail biting may be an indication of a more serious psychological or emotional problem. If you’ve repeatedly tried to quit this unwanted behavior and the problem persists, consult a doctor, dermatologist or mental health professional. Don’t ignore this habit; you do have options to combat it.
Dr. Robert Wallace welcomes questions from readers. Although he is unable to reply to all of them individually, he will answer as many as possible in this column. Email him at [email protected] To find out more about Dr. Robert Wallace and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.com.
