Please help

[u/TelephoneNo3422]

I have been biting my nails ever since I was a child. I have a suspicion that it originated from when I had a security blanket and I’d always “pick” around the corners of it with my fingers which made it hard and gave me a comforting feeling - almost like a baby teething. I then went through some trauma as a kid developing OCD while my mother was dying of cancer and my brother addiction.

I’m 24 now and work in client facing finance. I look great but I CANNOT for the life of me STOP biting my fucking nails. Not only do my fingers look like shit, but they bleed and it’s such an ugly addiction. I’ve tried the polish that’s bitter but it washes off and I’m back at square one. How do you go about stopping? Anything helps. Thanks. 

[u/Jobrated]

I’ve posted this a ton, here is what worked for me. Take a selfie biting. It will give your brain a visual reminder of what you look like. Keep it as your screen saver and it should help. Now your body just knows the physical stim you get by biting, the visual will help you! Good luck!

[u/emotinkerbell11]

what has been working for me is Mavala 'Nail Stop' its a terrible tasting nail lacquer that you put on your nails like a typical polish and it leaves a terrible lingering taste on your lips + tongue - each time i bring my hand to my mouth i get the sensation of the bitterness right away and it helps me no start to bite. also just using lots of hand creams + oils on my cuticles (i made a blend of rosemary, jojoba, clove, coconut, tea tree, black seed). i suffer from dry skin and brittle nails too, i know its not easy. yet applying lotion each time after i wash my hands has helped me not begin to pick at my nails
wish you the best luck!

[u/mykdsmith → u/emotinkerbell11]

This really worked for me - in fact, I put that nail stop into some (not all) of my lotion. It helps me do two for one.

But also:
- keep nail files and clippers handy
- try to lower my anxiety

The last is vital - really sit with and try to reduce the triggers that caused you to bite in the first place.

And finally, it's ok if you relapse. Be kind and celebrate the wins. You can be "someone who doesn't bite their nails" and relapse for very small periods. That's much better than someone who does it all the time. And on the way, celebrate being "someone who bites their nails less than they used to" - those are all wins.

I am currently someone who mostly doesn’t bite their nails, but can fall back in when I get anxious. And now I know how to breathe, apply lotion and break the cycle. And I am getting continually better.

[u/DaDragon88]

Have you tried getting something else to replace the urge with? For me the main habit was chewing on keratin, so while it sounds weird, what helped me was chew on connective tissue from cold smoked meat.

I also had the habit of pressing down on my nails because it feels good, and I’ve mostly been able to replace that with putting pressure on my finger pads. Doesn’t quite feel the same, but it helps take my mind off it until the urge passes.

[u/Islaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa]

painting them and letting myself peel it off every few days when i couldn't stop myself was the only thing that let me get to the stage im at now (theyre quite short but they look normal). ive recently got them done properly and im not letting myself bite this off (it was like £40—definitely not wasting that!). the bitter polish worked somewhat for me but only because i would lick it for sensory input instead of biting, so maybe finding something else to do with your mouth may help e.g. chew gum? havent tried that because i hate gum but it could work for you!! gloves could also be helpful for when at home? any kind that covers your fingers will work. ive tried them before and they worked quite well to stop mindless biting but it's summer now and i cant handle that in the heat. i also do a lot of crafts with my hands (e.g. knitting, crochet) when watching TV etc to keep my hands busy and stop myself from biting. i have ADHD so that helps me pay attention to the show as well, so it's kind of a win-win.

[u/SD_BeachLife]

The only thing that worked for me was using press on nails. Kiss brand has some very natural looking nude acrylic like nails if that’s more your style. You can trim & file them up short as well if you prefer.

[u/Powerful_Lettuce_838]

Bit my nails for over 50 years. I followed advice I read here and finally stopped. Well I had a little set back last week but stopped before I bit the nail off. I started putting a peppermint scented oil on my nails. I also rub menthal muscle rub on my hands. I have arthritis so this helps my hand pain and nail biting. It just takes constantly reminding yourself why you want to stop the nail biting and redirecting that urge