Addiction / Habit
Discussion
How do you stop a habit or addiction ? Since I can remember, say 20 years or so I have bit my nails. I don't know why or have a reason, not anxious or whatever the internet says. I don't bite them as bad as some, as in way down but enough to not look great. Anyone have any tips on how to give up ? I was thinking plaster 1 up a week say and move on. Few years back I tried nail varnish that tastes bad but didn't work. Any tips ?
I was the same OP. I chomped on my nails from the age of 10(ish) into my early 20s. Like you, they were never horrendous but they were short enough to look unsightly.
Whilst it sounds strange, what worked for me was to start picking my nails as an alternative to biting them. Doing so allowed me to stop the habit of putting my fingers anywhere near my mouth and whilst it initially made no difference to the length and look of my nails, eventually I found myself picking my nails less and less. I'm now at the point where I barely touch my nails and they look much better.
Whilst it sounds strange, what worked for me was to start picking my nails as an alternative to biting them. Doing so allowed me to stop the habit of putting my fingers anywhere near my mouth and whilst it initially made no difference to the length and look of my nails, eventually I found myself picking my nails less and less. I'm now at the point where I barely touch my nails and they look much better.
IIRC, nail bitting is linked to the pleasing sensation achieved through the texture felt when chomping away. Releases dopamine. Something like that anyway.
And yes, Stop N Grow was / is the name.
TBH...of all the things out there around which habits and addictions can form, nail-biting is very low down the list of things to worry too much about.
And yes, Stop N Grow was / is the name.
TBH...of all the things out there around which habits and addictions can form, nail-biting is very low down the list of things to worry too much about.
I stopped biting my nails in January and it's going well.
I'm 55 and I reckon I've been gnawing at my finger ends since I was 10. I went to India in January and for years, whenever I've been somewhere filthy I get ill. I put this down to sticking my fingers in my mouth, biting my nails all the time, constantly swallowing all manner of grim s
t, so this time round I was determined not to do it.
I suppose avoiding Delhi belly gave me a good enough reason to stop but at the end of the day, the trick is just to stop putting your fingers in your mouth.
Years ago friend of mine tried to convince me that cigarettes and fingers and lollipops were just nipple substitutes and it was time to stop being such a baby.
I think she might have had a point.
I stopped smoking 6 years ago by not putting cigarettes in my mouth.
I'm 55 and I reckon I've been gnawing at my finger ends since I was 10. I went to India in January and for years, whenever I've been somewhere filthy I get ill. I put this down to sticking my fingers in my mouth, biting my nails all the time, constantly swallowing all manner of grim s
t, so this time round I was determined not to do it.I suppose avoiding Delhi belly gave me a good enough reason to stop but at the end of the day, the trick is just to stop putting your fingers in your mouth.
Years ago friend of mine tried to convince me that cigarettes and fingers and lollipops were just nipple substitutes and it was time to stop being such a baby.
I think she might have had a point.
I stopped smoking 6 years ago by not putting cigarettes in my mouth.
Ransoman said:
I pick them, which i don't think is any better than biting them.
The only way to stop it is to keep them well trimmed. I only get the urge to pick when they get to a certain length (Around 1mm of white showing).
I pick at my toenails, they are dreadful as a result. I virtually peel them away. I pull out the nails on my little toes when then start to grow, they tend to bleed profusely when I do it & I frequently have no nail at all on the smaller toes. I've tried trimming them but frankly they never grow enough to do that before the urge to pull them out starts. I think I'm odd!The only way to stop it is to keep them well trimmed. I only get the urge to pick when they get to a certain length (Around 1mm of white showing).
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