An aggravated habit of modern society - biting nails is acquiring acute proportions. This common problem - the bad habit of biting nails - has become the subject of research by specialists in the field of neurology. A person may be nervous and worried about something. Internal tension begins to accumulate in anticipation of a verdict or response. This action explains why people bite their nails in front of others.
Causes of nail biting in adults
We are adults, but bad habits remain from childhood. After all, the weakness called “biting my nails” remains in adults as a subconscious reflex. A grown man would not suck his thumb in front of most people like a small child. However, he will not mind chewing his nail plates at a time of anxiety and nervousness.
Therefore, the following reasons are identified that encourage adults to engage in this childhood habit:
- strong excitement and nerves - experiences that every adult experiences when waiting for a decision that affects his future fate;
- the chewing reflex indicates a lack of self-control over your stomach, which provokes biting your own nails;
- replacing lip biting with the action of biting nails;
- severe stress;
- state of thoughtfulness;
- hereditary traits;
- lack of keratin.
Self-inflicted pain
This is one of the most depressing and heartbreaking reasons why some people harm themselves. This is the result of a desire to hurt oneself, which in itself is a psychological consequence of depression or lack of attention from others.
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Who is more susceptible to the habit: men or women?
Why do people bite their nails? Let's imagine a person with bitten nails - an unaesthetic sight. A serious and successful man who has achieved heights in his career always worries about his failures and downfalls. However, this does not give him the right to look unpresentable with bitten nail plates on his hands.
Among the psychological studies conducted, working women were at risk.
This suggests that governesses, cleaners, and ordinary workers in the course of performing their professional duties could bite off their nails for the following reasons:
- the presence of a constant habit, even in sleep;
- detergents can corrode the nail plates if they were not so hard by nature;
- if you don’t have time to give your nails the proper shape with a cosmetic file.
Based on available statistics, about 65% of women like to bite their fingers during a nervous breakdown and stress at work. Among men, about 45% adhered to this habit. People may not be interested in society's opinion of themselves, and they will not care what others say about them in reality, or even when they bite their nails in their sleep. To overcome a bad habit, if a person cannot cope with it, a strengthening varnish with a pepper flavor will help. This will push a person away from the bad habit of biting his nails, after which it will strengthen the nail plate, giving it natural beauty.
What to do when you have a compulsive urge to chew your fingernails and the skin around your nails?
Let's trace the cause-and-effect chain with the system-vector psychology of Yuri Burlan:
- a person lives according to the principle of pleasure→
- there is no real pleasure - we “enjoy” what we have, we calm down with “available means”
A nail-biting owner of the skin vector, who in childhood lost the sense of security and safety necessary for every child, can carry this habit into adulthood as an attempt to adapt stress.
– Do they force you to sit still when you want to run? I'll tap my foot and bite my fingers.
- Do they humiliate, beat? The flexible skin psyche will adapt. And now endorphins enter the blood not from affection, but from suffering. Instead of rejoicing in success, I unconsciously “enjoy” pain.
A bitten fresh manicure, torn skin around the nails are an indicator of stress or mild masochistic tendencies. More pronounced masochistic desires can lead to collapse worse than bitten nails (read articles about scenarios for failure and how to stop drinking).
Negative consequences
The ability to bite your nails can lead to unpleasant consequences that can last for a long time. The negative aspects of this issue include the following points:
- weakening of the nail plate;
- cuticle damage;
- violation of the beauty of a healthy nail;
- entry of infectious microorganisms into the blood;
- causing viral diseases;
- violation of the gastrointestinal tract and other internal organs.
Bitten off nails may have uneven surfaces and a loose surface as a result of deliberate human damage. The problem that arises can significantly change the shape of the plate to a terrible state. For a long time, it will be impossible for women and men to grow healthy, hard nails without cracks, longitudinal grooves and peeling.
Harm to yourself
Not only is nail biting not the most pleasant feature of being a person, but in fact, this habit is much more harmful to your actual health. The reason for this is your hand and, in particular, your nails, which come into contact with many dirty objects throughout the day. When you bite your nails, you absorb germs, which can lead to further problems with your digestive tract.
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Expert advice
Getting rid of the bad habit of biting your nails will help you achieve success in your professional field, win the support of the right people, find like-minded people and true friends. If you manage to touch your cuticle or nail with your lips even in your sleep, you need urgent help. For women, the best remedy is to give yourself a good manicure, after which you will no longer want to bite your fingers. For men, the following method of removing their weakness is presented:
If such a desire arises, clench your fist tightly. Your will, both in a dream and in real life, must be next to you in order to make you an efficient person;
argue with your friend or acquaintance that you will not touch your fingernails;
try to distract yourself from the thought of biting your nails.
The children's tendency to put dirty hands in their mouth creates a desire in adults to gnaw with redoubled force. Therefore, the following recommendations have been developed to get rid of this addiction:
- Protect yourself from stressful situations and showdowns.
- Spend more time sleeping and in nature.
- Don't force yourself to worry about trifles and become depressed.
How to stop biting your nails: breaking the habit
Yes, such a habit is not good, but Britney Spears did it and Alexander Pushkin, with his hands tied by a nanny, still managed to bite his nails, so there is no need to consider this only your problem. But since the time of Pushkin, they have come up with quite effective methods that are more pleasant than tying hands.
photo from hsl.guru
- In the question of “how to avoid biting your nails,” the proven method that our parents and grandmothers used: laundry soap, mustard, iodine or salted water will come to the rescue. But so that you don’t even think about how to pull your fingers into your mouth, you need to constantly cover the nail plate with these products.
- Aloe, which has been growing in your home since time immemorial, can also come in handy. It has such an unpleasant taste that it will quickly stop you from biting your nails. Its pulp should be applied to your fingertips and done more often, renewing the coating after washing your hands. The beneficial properties of aloe vera will remove hangnails and small wounds from the skin and will help you stop biting the skin around your nails. Don't have an aloe flower at home? There will definitely be no problems with the bow. Use its juice to stop biting your nails.
- Treating the habit with herbs is a good way. Wormwood is bitter and you just need to rub its juice on your nails. When there is fungus on the skin, wormwood will help get rid of it faster: make a nail bath. Prepare approximately 200 grams of wormwood for 1 liter of hot water, boil it in boiling water for 10-15 minutes, leave for 30 minutes, then the decoction will be ready.
- If you are not ready to sacrifice going out for a beautiful manicure, use modern medicine. Until it becomes fashionable to wear laundry soap on your nails, it is better to purchase a special varnish. This convenient product will last on your nails for a long time. It tastes so bitter that you will quickly break the habit. The varnish consists of useful vitamins and microelements that will strengthen your nails and accelerate their growth. Don’t let him “get off”, because you won’t notice how the bad habit will return again. When you notice that the coating on your nails no longer tastes bad, use the polish again.
photo from the site https://www.womenlives.ru
- Those who like to chew are offered to replace their nails with something else; this will help them stop biting their fingernails. You don't have to carry carrots around like a rabbit, but make sure you always have something to sharpen. The nail plate grows completely in 3-5 months, so remember how many nails you have already “eaten”. It will be more useful to replace them with vitamins for the body: apples, tomatoes and other vegetables or fruits.
According to statistics, I bite artificial nails less: acrylic and gel do not give the same feeling as a nail plate, because... they are too hard. Ladies can build them up, then the bad habit will disappear.
- A manicure will answer an additional question: how to grow your nails if you bite them. If you are tormented by the appearance and condition of your nails, get a manicure at home or in a salon: your nails will stop peeling and their length will be comfortable for you. Cover them with varnish, and you will be sorry for the effort or financial resources spent: this will become additional motivation, and your nails will also be well-groomed and beautiful.
- Are you unlucky, your nails often break, and you straighten their shape with your teeth? It will be more convenient to carry a small nail file in your wallet to trim them at any time.
- Another old-fashioned way is to wrap your fingertips with adhesive tape. If you decide to use it, choose perforated patches that allow air to pass through. This will prevent maceration from poor ventilation and keep your nails healthy.
Why do adults bite their nails even in their sleep?
Sleep strengthens the immune system and allows a person to stimulate their metabolic processes. If in a dream a man or woman begins to bite his fingers, you need to seriously think about your actions. In this case, the following reasons will help to understand:
- spending a long time in a period of increased stress;
- stressful work environment;
- overload of physical or mental stress;
- difficult period before the process of childbirth.
A harmless habit is nail biting. However, how many problems can it bring to a person before he comes to his senses. At this moment, the main thing is to stop in time so as not to introduce inflammation, infection and the risk of intestinal disease under your nail plate. After all, healthy nails speak about the health of their owner.
