i bite my fingers, and yes...i said FINGERS!

moongirl · Oct 11, 2008

I would definitely recommend a mental health professional. This is the kind of thing you cannot control on your own. Get the help you need, and don't be thinking you're a "crazy person". It's the way your brain is wired. You'll be learning a lot more about that soon.

its not about how her brain is "wired". I do the same thing. It started when I was 7 years old and my grandmother died, leaving me with a mother who has emotionally/mentally abused me all of my 42 years. My grammy was my only source of love/acceptance/comfort. Since then, in times of worry or stress, I chew on the skin on my fingers. Usually never enough to draw blood, but sometimes.

I have a sucessful marriage, career, 2 good kids and graduated from college with a 3.7 gpa. I suppose it could be called an issue that would benefit from counseling, but not a "mental issue" per say. Even with happiness in my life, I revert back when upset about something. Doubt that it could be changed after 35 years. Maybe this is true with Beth as well. What happened to me cannot be undone, and it does not manifest in anything other than chewing on my fingers. I count myself as lucky

SuesquatchRN, BSN, RN · Oct 11, 2008

Beth, I used to bite my fingers until they bled, and it hurt to put them into warm water.

It's severe anxiety. In my case, it is also part of anxiety, depression, and OCD. An anti-anxiety and SSRI are the only things that fixed it for good.

The other thing was to always have an emery board and cuticle nipper handy.

FireStarterRN, BSN, RN · Oct 11, 2008

I have always been a picker and a knuckle cracker, so I can relate. It doesn't mean you are crazy, but that your nervousness expresses itself by biting your fingers, this became a well established habit that probably got its start early in life. It is now a compulsive habit, and since you can't cut off your hands, you can't remove the temptation, and its extremely difficult to avoid because of that.

My suggestion is to find someone who specializes in behavior modification therapy, that might be your best best.

Just some suggestions, people with nervous hands like you and me need hobbies to occupy their hands! You can't just try to quit a bad habit without replacing it with something better. Also, try to identify situations that bring about this and anticipate them by coming up with a substitute, more positive habit.

If the habit is totally compulsive, some therapist will recommend a medication to ease the urge and anixiety that leads to compulsive behavior. This can be a temporary measure, they same way smokers use meds to help break the habit.

BethT · Oct 11, 2008

thanks, guys... all of you! it is so nice to hear that I am not the only one out there with this problem. I am definately going to talk with my doctor about this, I never thought to before.

I really appreciate all of your kind words of encouragement. I know I can always depend on that here.

Dianacabana · Oct 12, 2008

I have a similar problem! Its limited mostly to my cuticles. I know its compulsion/nerves but I can't stop either. I am in my first semester of NS and my future clinical instructor kindly reminded me about infection when she saw my cuticles in lab.

I am trying desperately to stop and it seems its getting better. I note that when I am reading I do the picking and biting, so I put a pen in my hand and take notes. I also have a new compulsion where I use hand cream and cuticle cream like crazy. If there's nothing for me to pick then it helps.

There is nothing wrong with asking for help from a professional!

Which I am not. GOOD LUCK. Let us know any good tips =) :yeah:

TexasPediRN · Oct 12, 2008

Just wait until you being using purell 25+ times a shift - that stuff BURNS on cuts horribly..

Honestly though - I bite my fingernails daily and have since I was little. Cant get rid of the habit, and nothing works. They are so frail and fragile to begin with, so when they grow they just break anyways.

And, there is a huge difference between biting on acrylic nails vs. your own - you can chip a tooth if you bite the acrylic ones hard enough!!!

You can do it - good luck!

finn11707 · Oct 12, 2008

Try this trick to break an unwanted habit. I did and it worked for me. My habit was not biting, but it was "frequent" and self distructive. A frien and I went to a nursing conference and this was a general tip given in the conference. Bot my friend and I tried it and both were successful in breaking our habits!

Find a thick rubberband. The kind that is around a bunch of broccoli in the produce section. Wear it constantly around your wrist. Whenever you catch yourself, give the band on your wrist a good snap. It should hurt. It takes about three to four weeks. I think you will find that it works! Let me know.

woknblues · Oct 12, 2008

Try this trick to break an unwanted habit. I did and it worked for me. My habit was not biting, but it was "frequent" and self distructive. A frien and I went to a nursing conference and this was a general tip given in the conference. Bot my friend and I tried it and both were successful in breaking our habits!
Find a thick rubberband. The kind that is around a bunch of broccoli in the produce section. Wear it constantly around your wrist. Whenever you catch yourself, give the band on your wrist a good snap. It should hurt. It takes about three to four weeks. I think you will find that it works! Let me know.

This is similar to the the "negative feedback" I was suggesting for glove use or bitrex. Its worth a shot, before you take the next step and "talk to someone". Not that there is anything wrong with that, but it might just be a "habit" rather than a compulsion or disorder. I can't (and am not qualified) to diagnose over the internet!!