NAIL BITING (ONYCHOPHAGIA)
WHAT DOES IT MEAN ? HOW TO STOP IT?
“God may forgive your sins, but your nervous system won’t.” - Alfred Korzybski
I remember, as a child, many kids including one of my sisters used to bite their nails. I used to tease my sister by saying, “does it taste good?”
Occasional nibbling on the nails is not a problem, it usually goes away by adolescence. But if a kid is continuously gnawing on their nails until the fingers start to bleed and easily can get infected, this is not normal. It is considered a sign of “ impulse control disorder.” It is listed in American Psychiatric Association Manuel under Obsessive - Compulsive Disorders (OCD). This form needs professional help for its treatment.
Child psychiatrists consider nail biting is a “body focused abnormal behavior.” It is often associated with nervousness, insecurity and anxiety. Some psychiatrists think that nail bitters have a perfectionist personality and that is why they are anxious all the time to be perfect.
Researchers estimate that as much as 30 percent of American children and adolescents are chronic nail-biters. Nail- biting is a kind of self-soothing behavior. Over time, it can disrupt the functioning of the brain’s reward center circuitry and in chronic forms, requires treatment.
A treatment method, called Habit Reversal Therapy could be effective. It is usually combined with Treatment Awareness Therapy. First, the patient is instructed to focus their attention inward, trying to detect what kind of sensations or feelings arise just before nail-biting begins. Then the attention is turned outwards to detect what events (like arguments, scolding, studying, reading, watching TV, etc.) induces the feelings that trigger nail biting. Written logs of all of these reasons are kept.
After 3-to-4 weeks, the patient is instructed to replace the urge of biting his or her nails with a competing response like clasping their hands or pinching themsevles, and holding the action until the urge of biting their nails passes. In addition, nail biters must trim their nails very short and apply a bitter tasting nail polish on their nails all the time.
Good luck!
PS: Journal Watch: Hearing loss, balance problems and falls. A recent study shows clear association (JAMA 2020 ) between hearing loss, balance problems and frequent falls.
