No matter if you are male or female, young or old, biting your fingernails is a nasty habit. Unfortunately, for many people, breaking this habit is also quite difficult. In fact, many people go years without being able to break this habit. While biting your nails may just seem like an unsightly practice, it can cause severe damage to your fingernails and fingertips. In some cases, severe nail biting can even limit your ability to be hired for a job. Obviously, keeping nail biting in check is therefore essential for a number of reasons. For best results when trying to break this habit, consider using anti-bite polishes, getting a manicure, or even keeping a journal. In more severe cases, counseling may be required.
Use Anti-Bite Polishes
Using anti-bite polishes while trying to break the habit of nail biting has been found to be highly effective. These polishes are typically applied directly to the nails, but can also be placed on the skin around the nails if biting here is also a problem. Anti-bite polishes traditionally have cayenne pepper extract within the polish-and therefore, biting nails and skin that has been coated with the polish leaves a bad taste in the mouth. Anti-bite polishes can be found in most drug stores, and are usually located in the baby section. In some cases, however, they can also be found in the nail care section of the beauty isles. If you have an especially difficult time locating anti-bite polish, consider checking online retailers, such as Ebay.com and Amazon.com.
Get a Manicure
Getting a manicure is another great way to break the nail-biting habit. When nails are filed, clipped, and polished, most people feel less likely to bite them. While some people may feel that this is only an option for women who bite their nails, this is not the case-more and more men are now getting manicures as well. If you are on a limited budget and cannot afford to get manicures at a salon on a regular basis, do not fear. Trimming and polishing your own nails at home is just as good as getting a professional manicure. Not only will you nail biting habit be kept in check, but so will your spending!
Keep a Journal
Finally, keeping a journal may be an effective way for some people to break this habit. Typically, research has found that when used to break a habit, journaling is most effective when it is done in combination with one of the other techniques described above. Journaling should focus on the number of times that you noticed yourself biting your nails each day, what prompted you to bite your nails, and how you felt while biting. Ideally, after a period of time, your journal entries will become less and less frequent-until they finally stop altogether. Individuals who have an especially difficult time breaking the habit may want to share their journal entries with a therapist or psychologist, who may be able to provide additional assistance.