If You Bite Your Nails- Here Is Why It Needs to Stop

Some people bite nails as a nervous habit, as a symptom of stress, confusion, anxiety, or fear. Some develop it from childhood and gradually lose it after a few years while some couldn't get it to stop even if they are already adults.Also known as chronic onychophagia,this form of habit needs to stop because of the various harms it can do to the person who has it.

People who bite nails often suffer or are prone to sore or swollen fingertips,deformed nails, bleeding cuticles,mouth and nail bed infections,or even dental problems. Bacteria are easily passed from the fingers to the mouth so infections in the mouth and nail beds often happen.Compulsive nail biters or those who can't seem to stop this habit are even more in danger of getting these infections. This stereotypic movement disorder is believed to be a sign of mental or emotional problem and is socially embarrassing and irritating.

Astereotypic movement disorder have various causes such as brain disease due to infections or seizures,sensory deprivation such as deafness or blindness,drug addiction,mental retardation, anxiety disorders,autism,or obsessive-compulsive disorders.There are different situations or scenarios which give rise to this disorder such as genetic, behavioral,or neurological.It was also discovered in several studies that boys who bite nails were larger in number that girls.

Many who bite nails are children between the ages of seven and ten years old at an estimated 28 to 33 percent.Adolescents comprised 44 percent, 19 to 29 percent were young adults,while 5 percent were older adults.Parents common forms of simple remedies to the nail-biting habits of their children sometimes help to stop it.For the chronic cases though,sometimes anti-depressant medications are already recommended as the cause may already be deeper especially in adults.

Behavioral treatments for people who bite nails include stimulus control which deals with the deliberate changing of the various factors or contributors to nail-biting such as activities, environment, mood or emotion, or circumstances. Habit Reversal Training (HRT)is a four-step habit-changing process which encourages the person to be more focused, relaxed, and consciously create an opposing response whenever the nail-biting reflex is triggered. Hypnotherapy can be done with the help of a hypnotherapist who will help the person in forming better alternatives to coping with the symptom-causing triggers such as stress and anxiety.

Parents of young children who bite nails resort to other treatments such as coating the kid's nails with a bitter-tasting substance to discourage the habit,orthodontic treatments, keeping the fingernails very short, keeping the hands occupied with doing things, while some simply resort to verbal warnings whenever the habit starts.

Some habits are beneficial while some prove harmful especially when it can already be in the way of regular or social activities. The way to getting rid of harmful habits normally takes time and conscious effort, but it can be done. People who display a stereotypic movement disorder such as nail-biting often create an impression of insecurity, lack of self-confidence, and anxiety. Children and adults who bite nails would do well to kick it because not only is it socially embarrassing and often irritating, but as earlier pointed out can lead to health issues which will keep on recurring.

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