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Health advice to stop nail biting

How to stop nail biting.My friend is 32 years old and she still bites her nails.Is there something to put on them to stop her from chewing on them?
(26 Aug 2007)

Nail biting is one of the most common habits in children as also in adults and can develop as a result of a variety of different reasons. For instance, the habit can develop as a result of simple boredom, curiosity, stress buster as well as a lack of nutritional deficiency. It is necessary to check the underlying cause of nail biting in your friend in order to treat it well.




You could try a number of techniques with your friend in order to curb the habit of nail biting. One of the ways to stop nail biting is to talk to your friend about the social embarrassment the habit can cause. Besides this if it is a habit you would need to have patience and keep reminding her every time she bites her nails. Nervousness and fright could be another reason for nail biting in adults and therefore you would need to hit on the exact cause so as to help her combat the habit. You could also use the keep busy method to avoid nail biting. This is one of the most useful tips to stop nail biting. If your hands and mind is kept busy with doing different activities, there would be no opportunities for nail biting. Improved diet and lifestyle changes will help curb the habit to a large extent.
answered by A S on 10 Feb 2012, 3:27:19

 

What are the reasons of nail biting?


Onychophagia or nail biting is a very common habit observed in men, women and children of all ages. Many people bite their nails regularly, without even realizing that they are doing so. You may suddenly find yourself biting your nails while watching TV, waiting for someone, talking on the phone, reading or even working. There could be several factors that lead to this embarrassing habit. It is believed that some of the most common reasons for nail biting include excessive stress, boredom, inactivity, excitement and nervousness. There are a few people who also bite their nails only in order to keep awake and alert. This is mostly the case with people who are afraid to fall asleep while driving. It is also said that the deficiency of certain minerals like calcium and magnesium in the body could lead to this habit.

While the effects of biting nails are not very hazardous, it could cause you and may be your family a lot of embarrassment when done in public. Moreover, the habit of nail biting means that you are stuck with short, uneven and unsightly nails. For many nail biting is a psychological condition and a habit that develops through the years. Immediate attention given to this habit will help improve your personality.
answered by M W on 6 Feb 2012, 11:02:50

 

How to cure nail biting problem and how to treat them?


The best form of nail biting treatment is to get your hands involved in some other activity so that the nail biting can be avoided. Activities like drawing, painting, playing video games, squeezing a stress ball and so on can actually divert a person’s mind from nail biting. Many people even recommend the use of hand gloves as a nail biting treatment. Keeping the nails short and neatly trimmed also helps in avoiding nail biting to a large extent. One of the most common nail biting cures is applying bitter substances or lemon juice to the nails to discourage this bad habit. Applying simple nail polish can also help curb this habit because most nail polishes have a bitter taste. Regular massages and manicures can also be an effective nail biting treatment. Vitamin E oil or olive oil can be used for such massages to help heal the condition of the nails. These oils are also beneficial in preventing nail infections which can occur with excessive nail biting. Nail biting is usually a result of stress or nervousness and therefore remedies like meditation can also be used as one of the nail biting cures. Hypnotherapy is also being effectively used as an alternative nail biting treatment.
answered by M W on 1 Feb 2012, 4:03:31

 

How to prevent biting nails in children?


Nail biting is one of the most common habits to develop in children and can be the result of a variety of reasons. Some of the more common causes of nail biting in children include – boredom, curiosity or maybe even to relieve stress. The primary mode used to stop nail biting in children will stem from identifying and addressing any of the concerns that the child may have. A number of studies have shown that children tend to develop these stress busters in reaction to certain problems that might be emanating from the house and within the family. For instance, family tensions including problems like a divorce or even a recent move of residence are all known to be causing factors.

One of the most common mistakes that are made when it comes to children biting nails is punishing the child. However, this is not an effective remedy as that habit tends to come from the sub – conscious of the child. Thus at certain times the child is not even aware of the condition. You must make it a point to explain to the child what is wrong with the habit instead of using harsher modes of correction. Increasing the child’s calcium intake is extremely important because studies have shown that children suffering from calcium deficiency are more prone to chewing on their nails.
answered by G R on 27 Jan 2012, 3:18:36

 

Try Tabasco Sauce.
answered by b on 27 Aug 2007, 1:36:28

 

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