Stress Management Archives

nail biting

Hi everybody,

Maybe I am going to ask a stupid question, but:

I have the bad habit to bite my nails or to put my fingers in my mouth and rub my nails on my teeth. And when I damaged them, I very quickly reshape them with a file, many times a day sometime. I also smeel them sometimes (And I know an other guy that was doing this). I am obsess of my nails!

Is it possible that we could become addicted (and maybe alergic) to something in the nails (or under the nails)? Is it a sign of some mineral deficiency? What does this habit means?

Thanks

Serge

Follow Ups:

• Re: nail biting (Archive in stress.) Walt Stoll 10:14:35 1/20/01 (0)

In Reply to: nail biting posted by Serge C. on January 18, 2001 at 22:13:33:

Hi, Serge.

I used to bite MY nails in high school.

I will share with you what solved MY habit overnight.

My history teacher was also the principal of the high school and he told us this story:

He was a new graduate, looking for his first job teaching, in the middle of the "great depression". He went to an interview with the guy responsible for giving out the teaching job. There were a roomful of applicants who had gotten that far. The applicants were going in and coming back out, having been rejected, each within a minute.

When it was his turn, he went in and the guy told him to put his hands on the desk palms down. He took one look and hired him on the spot. When he asked the guy how he was different than the rejects he said: Your nails were not bitten and were clean.

I never bit my nails again.

This is a nervous habit and as such can be broken--given enough incentive. That was enough incentive for me!

I hope this helps.

Walt