Why You Bite Your Nails
Poor habits take time to develop, and nail biting is a common habit that is usually a response to stress. Learning how to manage stress effectively can help you succeed in life and develop healthy behaviors as a response to it. Nail biting can be an easy stress-reducer for many people, and since each person handles stress in a different way, the level and seriousness of it can vary depending on the amount of perceived or actual stress.
According to various studies, approximately 20% of the general population is a nail biter, and this typically occurs during the quiet and low-stress times when a person may feel anxious. Anxiety can trigger a variety of responses, and anything that can relieve a person of the feelings of anxiety are usually pursued until the stress or anxiety is reduced. Although nail biting can help with this, it can quickly become a destructive habit.
Nail biting can lead to rough and ragged nails, and inhibit the nail’s natural ability to grow. This can lead to infections, bacteria buildup, and the easy spread of disease. It can make a person more likely to feel less confident, and leave their hands looking rough and poorly maintained. Many nail biters will become self-conscious about their hands and nails, but will have difficulty getting rid of the habit.
Solutions for overcoming a nail biting include finding new ways to lower stress and manage anxiety. Healthier ways include light exercise, engaging in a soothing activity, meditating, or turning attention elsewhere. Increasing self-awareness can also help, and will boost self-confidence in the process. Although nail biting is often considered a self-gratifying behavior, it can be replaced with healthier, constructive, and even productive behaviors instead. This can take time to develop, but will help the person overcome their poor choice for stress reducing in the long-run.
