Nail biting is related to skin picking and hair pulling. Skin picking, hair pulling and nail biting are labeled as Obsessive-Compulsive Disorders or OCD. People who bite their nails often keep their hands hidden behind their backs. People who bite their nails often feel social embarrassment and shame and experience out-of-control feelings at times. Sometimes they wonder why they are not able to stop biting and they often question whether or not they are sane.
Nail biting usually happens when nail biters are in one of two modes. Some do it in an automatic way, as if they are in some kind of a trance and not thinking about what they are doing. It is often when they are immersed in some other activity at the same time such as reading or talking, etc. For others, the deliberate picking or biting is their main activity at the time, and they will frequently interrupt their other activities to engage in it.
There is also a strong commonality seen in the various purposes behind nail biting, skin picking and hair pulling. At a very basic level, these symptoms satisfy an urge. Many people report an almost uncontrollable urge to do them. Pulling, picking or biting also seems to deliver a pleasurable or relaxed sensation.
When sufferers feel stressed, doing these things has a kind of soothing effect on them and reduces levels of stimulation. On the other hand, when they are bored or inactive, they seem to provide a needed level of stimulation to the nervous system. This probably accounts for why so many people who have these habits find it so hard to give them up. It simply "feels good" at the time no matter what the consequences.
Even if you have more than one of these problems, don't give up on yourself. These compulsive behaviors can be overcome if you have a sufficient amount of motivation. More important is learning to "de-stigmatize" yourself. You are not crazy, helpless, morally weak or totally out of control, even though you may feel like it at times. Once you realize that you are just a person who simply happens to have a bad habit, you can make serious progress.
Skin picking and nail biting are chronic problems, so there is not currently a "cure" but you can find a recovery if you are willing to work at it. Hypnotherapy for nail biting consists of three parts.
Hypnotherapy For People Who Bite Their Nails
To start with, nail biting is a nervous habit. So the first part of the hypnotic therapy is to teach the sufferer how to be more relaxed at all times. To that end, I believe that traditional hypnosis, Ericksonian hypnosis, and Neuro-Linguistic Programming techniques are very often quite effective. That's because the very essence of hypnosis is relaxation. The person can learn to apply several different methods to increase both the relaxed state, as well as his/her overall feeling of well-being.
The second part of the therapy teaches the individual awareness of this unconscious habit. Suggestions are generally given to the subconscious mind to make the consciousness aware that you are about to bite your nails. Then you get to consciously decide whether or not you are actually going to bite them.
There are several other powerful methods. As an example, we can help the client to set up an "Anchor" or trigger so that he/she can momentarily disassociate. This is an effective method that will effectively relieve the compulsion.
The third part of the hypnotherapy is to eliminate the compulsion to bite the nails. There are Neuro-Linguistic Programming methods that actually program the client with a compulsion to reject biting his/her nails.
With the biting behavior, being realistic is very important. First off, you have probably practiced the unwanted habit hundreds or even thousands of times. You need to accept that the behavior of biting your nails will not simply be overcome in a few days or weeks.
Second, you are fighting the fact that biting your nails feels good, and it offers short term satisfaction and either stimulation or soothing feelings. It can take a little time to overcome, but I believe it is worth it. My experience has shown a number of methods to be very effective!
If you have ever made an effort to curb your nail biting habit, you realize just how difficult is. Perhaps you have worn bandages or gloves over your fingers, or tried bitter-flavored nail polish. Likely they worked temporarily, but ultimately you found yourself with worn nails and torn cuticles yet again.
The reason that a superficial nail biting cure is unlikely to get results makes sense when the underlying cause for the behavior is investigated. The nail biting habit is chronic and parallel in nature to other stress-related patterns, like skin picking and hair pulling. Basically, these actions meet an innate impulse; thus if the urge is not satiated or eliminated, the behavior will restart. No amount of bitter nail polish will curb the need for nail biting or bring the sense of relaxation you get after chewing on your nails.
In that vein, someone cannot actually cure nail biting, but do not be concerned: Happily, time-tested therapies that can help recovery are available. There is a three-step course of action that can efficiently stop nail biting if you are committed to do so. The fundamental step involves hypnosis.
For people who are not familiar, hypnosis brings to mind images of people watching swinging pendulums or barking on stage for others' entertainment. Rest assured that at its core, hypnosis is only profound relaxation in a trance-like state. Many erroneously think that hypnotic trances are like sleep, but you are fully conscious and awake, simply exceedingly relaxed and open to suggestion.
In fact, many of people go through some manner of self-hypnosis every day, during times when we tune out many of the disruptions around us to focus on an individual task while remaining fully conscious. It takes place readily while we daydream, watch television or read.
Because nail biting is related to stress, the more effectively you can work through and release anxiety and tension, the more winning your efforts to stop nail biting will be. The top objective of hypnotherapy is to help you to preserve a relaxed state continuously.
You are encouraged to research various hypnosis options, such as traditional hypnosis, Ericksonian hypnosis and Neuro-Linguistic Programming techniques, to add to both the relaxed state and to accomplish a better sense of welfare. A qualified hypnotherapist will know which type is ultimately best for you.
The next step to curbing a nail biting habit is to become aware of the behavior since nail biting is executed unconsciously. Hypnotherapy is advantageous for this part of the plan, as connecting with the unconscious mind to trigger the conscious mind's knowledge that you are about to bite your nails can help very much. This allows you to make the decision to bite your nails. And since hypnotherapy has already worked to relieve the underlying stress, the powerful need to bite your nails has been notably minimized, or even eliminated.
The conclusive step for using hypnotherapy to cease biting nails is to totally eliminate the principal compulsion to chew or bite. There are techniques that can actually program you with a craving to refrain from biting your nails; because just as practices can be broken due to hypnosis CD's, they can also be started.
Hypnosis is successful for curbing behaviors like biting your nails because, though the session will not suddenly make complete strength of will, it can reinforce your resolve and guarantee that decisions you make during a hypnotic state will still carry over when you are stressed out. Furthermore, hypnotherapy can help you correspond with your unconscious mind to get it to parallel your conscious mind so both units help with your aspiration.
It is noteworthy that some potential hypnosis clients hold a fear of having suggestions planted or of having "hidden" memories while in a trance. Rest assured that hypnotherapists are officially skilled and accredited and follow the rigorous ethical and professional guidelines. The systems used by professionals to make useful suggestions to your unconscious are entirely distinct from those employed or used during memory recall or age regression. So the use of hypnotherapy for effectively stopping the desire to bite your nails will not lead to unintended memories or behaviors.
CONCLUSION: Nail biting is a compulsion like any other, and willpower by itself is typically not enough to abandon the behavior.
Alan B. Densky, Ch has sinced written about articles on various topics from Lose Weight, detox diet and Health. started his practice way back in 1978. Alan has worked with thousands of clients to overcome these types of behaviors.. Alan B. Densky, Ch's top article generates over 2740000 views. to your Favourites.