Nail Biting: A Problem Deeper Than Skin Deep?

For fear of being (gently) hit on the hands with chopsticks by my Mother, I never picked up the habit of biting my nails. My Mother was very critical of the appearance of nails and lectured that those with bitten nails appeared very unprofessional and unattractive (a little extreme, but I guess that’s what you get for having a Mother who works as a Nail Technician).

Debbie Heggen also had a similar childhood experience to mine as her parents tried to break her nail biting habit by wrapping black electrical tape around her fingers. Chopsticks got my habit to stop, but the electrical tape didn’t seem to do anything for Heggen.

I’ve recently became a huge nail girl-I constantly observe people’s nails subconsciously as nails can revel one’s personality. Never getting them done professionally (cheap broke college student here!), my savy self managed to learn how to paint via my dearest mother. A mere ten minutes ago, I was removing my nail polish and an idea came to me: what’s the psychology behind those who bite their nails? Such an odd topic and I honestly didn’t think I would find any research on it. To my surprise, there’s a ton!

Chronic Onychophagia is the critical name for habitual nail biting, with about 30% of all children and 15% of adults participate in this routine. Unexpectedly, the participation in this disorder might be more than skin deep (no pun intended).

According to psychological and medical studies the most common triggers are: attention seeking, need for oral gratification, sociopathy, lack of self-monitoring or self-esteem, and obsessive-compulsive disorder.The most common reasoning being stress and anxiety. Studies dated back to 1930s and 19402 show that nail biting is an outlet for built up emotions and reduces tension for the individual. Ronald Bronow, a dermatologist and professor at University of California, Los Angeles states: “It is a common reaction to stress and boredom. Nail biters could also suffer from a poor self-image or could be punishing themselves for deeper-rooted problems or anxieties…[it’s basically] a substitution for another problem.”

Dr. Bronow also states that our hands and skin will reflect whatever emotional or psychological hardships we may be experiencing. For example, an individual might start forming acne due to a current stressful situation. Likewise, they may also bite their nails. “Our skin and nails are a mirror of our emotions.” He also shared that when he visited the psychological ward during medical school, most of the patients with severe psychological problems have severe-biting tendencies.

Another theory is that nail biters may fit the diagnostic principles of obsessive-compulsive disorder or body dysmorphic disorder, according to psychologist M. Williams.

The American Psychiastric Association shares a similar opinion as they classify nail biting as an impulse control disorder and a sin of underlining anxiety, which statistically shows up more in males.

On the contrary, there’s also the possibility that the disorder is simply a habit and has no deep psychological meaning at all.

It’s understandable that many are embarrassed by the appearance of their bitten nails. “It’s really such a private thing that society often stigmatizes, so a lot of people often suffer in silence,” says Licensed Psychological Associate Russell Hancock. Our fingers are in constant contact with bacteria and nail biting just brings in unnecessary bacteria and infection into both our nails and mouths.

If you’re hoping to stop your habitual disorder, experts insist on identifying the triggers such as the location, people, things or situations that motivate you to chew your nails. Work to control or eliminate those triggers and consult a doctor or psychologist if the condition persists. Good luck!

P.S. My next article will be about the psychology of color: what does your nail polish reveal about you? Stay tune!!

Xoxo,

Chrissy

Sources:

http://www.americanownews.com/story/16143214/nail-biting

http://www.nailsmag.com/article/40814/psychology-of-a-nail-biter

http://www.ehow.com/about_5472980_psychology-nail-biting.html