How to stop biting my nails?

[Barney048]

Okay, so this is one of my habits that I hate the most. I've tried using will power, I've tried using that nail polish that makes them taste disgusting, but I just kept on biting. 😩. I'm sure many on here have or have had the same problem, so please do share what worked for you 😅

 

[sweetblossom]

1 hour ago, Barney048 said:

Okay, so this is one of my habits that I hate the most. I've tried using will power, I've tried using that nail polish that makes them taste disgusting, but I just kept on biting. 😩. I'm sure many on here have or have had the same problem, so please do share what worked for you 😅

 

I second you on that motion I have done it since I was a child and tried everything from bitter spray to nail polish and i am still a bitter.  So anyone please help us nail bitters out I agree I hate it nasty habit and I want pretty nails not chewed nubs lol

[DaddysMonkey]

Hiiiiiiiiiiii Barney 👹
 

I’m not sure how you feel about getting a manicure but… that’s what helped me stop. It’s not like you have to get colors or anything crazy , just a clear coat and cuticles trimmed and what not. 
 

I found that spending money was the only thing that really made me stop biting my nails. Every time I would try to bite them after a manicure , my brain would go “STOP YOU FUCKIN MORON THAT COSTED YOU MONIES!” Literally the fact that I felt like I was wasting money if I bit them forced me to stop. If I ever skip getting a manicure and my nails are naked I typically go right back to biting in a week or two. 
 

I’ll think on it for a while and try to find you some more tips ! 

Edited August 13, 2022 by DaddysMonkey

[LoverEcho]

So this may not work for everyone, and I admit I’m a germaphobe, but reading about how much nasty stuff gets stuck under them helped me stop. Anytime I put them near my mouth to bite now I’m reminded of that and it keeps me from starting the habit again. 

[Guest LittleBe]

I had the same problem since I was really young and what helped me was I started using that nail polish that makes them taste disgusting in situations where I couldn't do anything to fix it (for example when I was at school and I couldn't leave and go to the bathroom) so I was super aware to not even get close my hands to my mouth andddd another thing was that I started with one of my hands (I think was my left hand because I'm right handed) so I still could bite my nails from the other hand for a while and then was easier to stop. 
Tbh most of the work was in my head being super aware of not getting my hands close to my face my nails and struggling because it was one of my biggest insecurities at that time.
Oh! I also used another coat to make my nails stronger that helped a lot! 

You can do it!! ❤️

[Barney048]

I'm not really a germophobe, so that advice wouldn't help me. Ah the things I put in my mouth.Don't tell anyone, but I even bit the nails on me feet when I was younger. The only reason I stopped is because I started to lack the flexibility to put my feet where my teeth were 🤷🏻‍♂️

 

LittleBe's advice is neat, but been there done that... Didn't work 😅 I appreciate it tho. 

Now the lil monkey that could.. . I am not opposed to manicures, I have no shame when it comes to stuff like that. I mean, I got my ass waxed once, so what's a lil mani-pedi. But the part of the advice I really think would help is the money part. I often achieve things by making ridiculous bets with my friends, where high stakes are included. Either monetary or just doing something I absolutely wouldn't ever wanna do. 

So I'll try to apply that here as well. Ty all for the advice. May the god I don't believe in bless you all 🤙

[Vampiress]

I think the manicure is a good place to start. If that doesn't work either maybe habit training is your next step. I know they now have technology and apps for this. One such device is (SFW):
https://habitaware.com/

Supposedly it also works for skin picking and hair pulling habits.

[Barney048]

I don't really like using apps and technology for such things. Yes, they can be very helpful, however I feel like there's an app for everything these days and people are becoming overly reliant on them with each generation.

If push comes to shove I'll just wear one of those straitjackets. I prefer the oldschool approach.

 

Edited August 15, 2022 by Barney048

[DaddysMonkey]

1 hour ago, Barney048 said:

I don't really like using apps and technology for such things. Yes, they can be very helpful, however I feel like there's an app for everything these days and people are becoming overly reliant on them with each generation.

If push comes to shove I'll just wear one of those straitjackets. I prefer the oldschool approach.

 

I volunteer as tribute to remove all of your fingers nails for you. 
 

No finger nails , no biting. 😇

[Barney048]

55 minutes ago, DaddysMonkey said:

I volunteer as tribute to remove all of your fingers nails for you. 
 

No finger nails , no biting. 😇

I'm touched to tears 🥺 ... I wouldn't want you to go through that much trouble tho. I bite my nails so much, that it's impossible to get a hold of them with pliers. 

Tell you what tho. If I decide to opt in for hand amputation you'll be my first call. I got an axe with your name on it. 🪓

[Lolitadisney]

Quote

Hi!! I'm new to this forum so I'm sorry, I made a total mess up while trying to answer but I want to share my personal experience with you.

I have been biting my nails for 15 years and what allowed me to quit it was to leave one nail without biting, then bite the rest. When that nail left grew, I had to do the same with other nail until there were no nails to bite. 

It may sound stupid but doing so, nails recover their missing sensitiveness so when I did that, then I lost all the desire to bite them.

Btw, I'm not an English native speaker, I'm learning English as a second language so feel free to ask or correct me if you can't understand me.

I hope my advice will help you!! I know it's really hard but it's posible to overcome that habit!! Cheers!! 

 

[Guest Daddylyfe]

On 8/13/2022 at 11:37 AM, Barney048 said:

Okay, so this is one of my habits that I hate the most. I've tried using will power, I've tried using that nail polish that makes them taste disgusting, but I just kept on biting. 😩. I'm sure many on here have or have had the same problem, so please do share what worked for you 😅

 

cousin of mine had to go get manicures to keep them short until he broke the habit. I also suggest methylfolate. It helps a lot with my own nail biting.  

[Littlemiddle]

I keep fake nails on it helps me not pick up the skin around my nails or chew on my nails I also use things I can chew on chew silicone necklaces or fidget toys

[Donotuy]

Understand you. The problem is that you can't control it. You can't track the moment you start doing it. It's the same with pulling out hair, biting the inside of the lips, and so on. This means that you are under a lot of stress, and the brain drives itself into such a trance to calm down, and you repeat the same small movements. It seems to me that there are only two ways out: to understand why you are stressed and what happened before you found yourself biting your nails. Maybe someone said something to you or you started to get nervous for another reason. The second option is to come up with something for yourself that can replace this activity. For example, paint pictures with a lot of details. The key is to keep your hands busy.

[meganh26h]

Hey, Does any one still need help on this?

[MissNMTX]

I'm going to 2nd the manicure idea. Self care is important anyhow. Monkey is right, you take care of what you spend money on. For me, If I keep them nice I feel better and don't want to mess them up.

I'm close to people that have anxiety disorders and it helps them significantly. Something that I as someone who cares about them can check on...how their nails are looking.

[JannAce]

What helped me was replacing the habit with something else, like carrying a stress ball or using fidget toys. Also, keeping my nails short and neatly trimmed made them less tempting to nibble on. Another trick was applying a clear nail polish – not the gross-tasting one, just a regular one. It acted as a reminder to stop biting. And, hey, it might also indirectly help with overall nail health. Remember, progress takes time, so be patient with yourself!

[meganh26h]

Anyone else likes to hear any advice or tips?

[ErickWcurls]

Do push ups every time you wanna chew

[MyMy]

Hello Everyone,

Here is my advice from a retired nail biter. Painting my nails would never work. I would eat the nail polish right along with it. My grandmother would be aloe Vera on my nails which would help but really it meant spending 20 minutes in the bathroom washing my hands. I think the first step is acknowledging that you don’t like the habit and want it to change for the better. Second is having a goal. For me I wanted to be able to hold my hand up and see my nail past my nail bed. That for me meant I had long nails and wasn’t a biter anymore. Third is that I designated one finger to be the biting finger. It may sound ridiculous but having one finger to be your go to nail when you feel like biting allows all the other nails to grow and allows you to be keenly aware of when you are doing it. Once you feel more comfortable you can stop biting all your nails. If you find your fingers drawn to your mouth bite the pads of your fingers instead this will give your mouth the comfort and your nails a break. It’s really about mind body connect. Donotuy in the previous post said it best you need to find the root cause for this. Once you call it out, every time you go to bite your nails your own brain will call you out and tell you stop. I was a nail biter so bad that I had lines for nails, my nails would bleed, my parents would tell me a little bug with go in my fingers without nails and lay eggs nothing helped except this. I am now more than half way to growing my nails 3XL length just for funzies. I hope this helps! 

[MyMy]

9 hours ago, ErickWcurls said:

Do push ups every time you wanna chew

Instructions unclear now we’re body builders with long nails 🤣😂

[ErickWcurls]

50 minutes ago, MyMy said:

Instructions unclear now we’re body builders with long nails 🤣😂

Well trim them like once a week , but don't chew, do push ups.  Or another way is get a stun gun and zap yourself every time you have the urge.  It's all about positive reinforcement lol

[MyMy]

On 8/25/2024 at 11:08 AM, MyMy said:

Hello Everyone,

Here is my advice from a retired nail biter. Painting my nails would never work. I would eat the nail polish right along with it. My grandmother would be aloe Vera on my nails which would help but really it meant spending 20 minutes in the bathroom washing my hands. I think the first step is acknowledging that you don’t like the habit and want it to change for the better. Second is having a goal. For me I wanted to be able to hold my hand up and see my nail past my nail bed. That for me meant I had long nails and wasn’t a biter anymore. Third is that I designated one finger to be the biting finger. It may sound ridiculous but having one finger to be your go to nail when you feel like biting allows all the other nails to grow and allows you to be keenly aware of when you are doing it. Once you feel more comfortable you can stop biting all your nails. If you find your fingers drawn to your mouth bite the pads of your fingers instead this will give your mouth the comfort and your nails a break. It’s really about mind body connect. Donotuy in the previous post said it best you need to find the root cause for this. Once you call it out, every time you go to bite your nails your own brain will call you out and tell you stop. I was a nail biter so bad that I had lines for nails, my nails would bleed, my parents would tell me a little bug with go in my fingers without nails and lay eggs nothing helped except this. I am now more than half way to growing my nails 3XL length just for funzies. I hope this helps! 

It has come to my attention that some people might need other tips for helping them kick the nail biting habit. You should think of taking care of your nails more as your relaxation time. Washing your hands after using the bathroom cleaning under your nails or just look at them. Putting moisturizer or lotion after washing them you should give yourself  a hand massage and do it around  your finger tips and your wrists. Even if you don’t have time to paint your nails try to keep a nail filer on you. It’s a game changer if you chip your nail picking up a book or grabbing something. I personally love the glass nail filers but be careful putting it in your bag. I hope this helps. 

[Sadistic_Nursing_Mommy]

Wow oh my goodness this can actually happen to anyone. I believe I was doing it at a very young age and my parents would put hot sauce and horrible stinging stuff, (I don't know what it was )..so I would stop, but yeah I know it's still something I resort to sometimes in private and when I'm thinking without actually realizing I'm back at it, ... it's Sneaky 🤯....

[Sadistic_Nursing_Mommy]

But I believe when I have put Band-Aids at the end of my fingers yes, .... It's pretty annoying but that works. / :