Do you bite your nails, then I would like to ask if you have ever considered the other negatives and would like to stop biting fingernails once and for all? Obvious effects of nail biting of course mean that you have no nails to speak of and that you may bite your finger-tips as well. This may lead to red and sore fingers which are not that attractive!
You may not be surprised to know that you can easily deform your nails, but there are a series of other effects that people don't always think about and which can carry several negative effects on your fingers and general health. Here are just a few reasons to stop biting your fingernails.
As mentioned above, you may have red, sore finger-tips that may lead to minor or severe bleeding from the cuticles. Such aggressive habitual chewing can lead to some bad infections in the nail bed itself and even in the mouth. In turn, infections or viruses in the mouth can badly affect your teeth and gums and lead to more visits to the dentist that you would like.
It's perhaps obvious to note that transference of infection occurs between the fingers and mouth while you are absent mindedly chewing away at your nails. This absent minded biting often occurs when people get stressed or anxious and may also be a sign of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD). Getting medical treatment for anxiety or OCD may help you stop biting your fingernails.
If anxiety is a problem for you then it will only be heightened by your knowledge that nail biting is socially unacceptable, making you think about it more and making a greater conscious effort not to bite your nails in public. This is of course a cycle that must be broken and you will certainly need medication and perhaps therapy to stop it.
I'm assuming you know by now that you should stop biting your fingernails. I suggest you first try and identify the reason why you engage in this type of behaviour. When you have done that, if there a medical reason (e.g. OCD or anxiety), then get help.
It is likely that you don't have any particular reason to bite your nails other than to satisfy a habit. If so, there are several methods available to you to try. Not all will work for you, and it may take some time (and money) to find the best method for you personally to stop biting your fingernails, just dont give up.
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