To ask you to help me fight this compulsion (pics)

[Comealongpond89]

I bite the skin around my nails. I've been doing for as long a so can remember. Sometimes I go through stages of not doing it as bad but at the moment I can't stop. They're getting really sore and I hate how they look. I've tried occupying my hands but I still do it. Anyone do similar or have any tips on how to stop a compulsion? I'll add pics on my next post

Yes this is an anxiety related condition and you can train yourself to overcome it.

It's very very common and any GP will be able to advise.

It's very prevalent in my family. My brother lives in Japan and he has had blood poisoning and all sorts from his condition. I'm a dreadful spot squeezer - going to have to really contain myself when my sons go thru adolescence!

I regualry have to trim my younger son's finger and toenails but I realised I never have to do it for my older one. He doesn't bite them, he rips them . He also picks at scabs. At night when he's asleep I go along and dot them with Sudocreme. When it's really bad I have to cover him with plasters so he doesn't do it when he's asleep. I know it's an anxiety related condition, hard to help a 10 year old with this though. We just keep chatting to him and ask him to be aware of when he's doing it.

I do this with cuts. I managed to pick at a scratch from a rose bush on my leg so much it has grown to a scar the size on my palm... Now embarrassed to show my legs in public (hell in this heat!)

I panicked then because I thought that was my thumb & is posted & forgotten.

Plasters are the answers, interestingly the fabric ones work better. Take them off when you go to bed.

I do think it's an anxiety/stress relief to pick. I'm waiting to be assessed for ADHD, if I'm not picking my thumb & I'm still - watching tv etc, I'll be picking at my toenails...

I managed to stop after biting and picking so badly since a child and here's what worked for me; just willpower and really wanting to stop.

I got a friend to tell me truly how awful it looked. Also I emwas working with clients and I knew it looked so unprofessional.
I got married and managed to stop with willpower, as I knew the photos would be of my hands and I was ashamed how it looked. I said to myself 'what sort of impression doesn't it give to be picking and biting your fingers in meetings? You look nervous and hesitant, it's not who you are'

Every day I made a mark on a post it when i bit or picked, and tried to have less marks every day, and be mindful of what I was doing. I didn't put nasty stuff on or replace with a fidget toy, I've tried that before and it doesn't work for me.

What did work was mentally breakingvtge cycle and really really wanting to stop. I HATED doing it. I did backslide after the wedding but only to biting my thumbs, and when I got pregnant I knew I don't want my baby looking up at me as I picked my skin, that's what's stopped me for good and I honestly love it. I'm not fixated on my hands anymore, I barely look at them or think about them and it feels so good.

I've just googled it. I had no idea it was an actual diagnosible condition and can be treated. Thank you everyone for replying, it's really helped to know I'm not the only one and there are ways to get over it

I do this to the skin on my heels, underneath. I use nail clippers and then pull the skin off. It is really bad at the moment as I am so stressed (bereavement, recent house move, new job) and they have been bleeding and It is uncomfortable to walk.
I have been told that this is actually self harm and I tend to agree.
Sorry, that's not helpful really! Just wanted to share and empathise

I'm so sorry you have this compulsion, they're difficult to stop. I'm an emotional eater - if I bake a cake or make a nice pudding I want to eat it up, all of it, in just a few days, rather than one slice/portion each day. I find it very hard to moderate this.

Could you put a picture of some lovely hands on your phone? When you feel the impulse to pick look at the pic and tell yourself that you too will have lovely hands like that in x number of weeks/months and will yourself not to spoil them.

I'm exactly the same. I keep nail clippers in my bag at all times and when I notice any bits of cuticle or stray bits of skin I clip them off straight away. I use cuticle cream. I also file and paint my nails a couple of times a week because when I see them looking nice,it puts me off nibbling them.

If I didn't do these things, I know it wouldn't be long before my nails would look awful again.

I don't think I could ever truly break the habit I just have to keep on top of it.

There used to be something available called Bitter Aloes which my mum painted on my nails and it stopped me biting them. That was years ago and not sure if it's still around, nor if it works on the skin. It worked first time for me!

Haven't rtft though so apologise if things have moved on since your original post. Hope you find a solution soon

It's called Dermatillomania. It's a type of OCD.

I manage it well now. My top tips are:

• 24h moisturisation. (Creams in every bag, desk, car, bedside, kitchen, bathroom.)

• Manicured hands with dark nail polish (Texture of manicured nails and absence of snags stops the destruction)

• Get a manicure set and do it yourself once a week. It is very satisfying and cathartic, and nicely "scratches the itch" of the compulsion. After half an hour of "picking" with metal instruments, you end up with beautiful hands rather than ugly bleeding ones.

My hands look about half my age thanks to the creams and frequent manicures are great, too. Try it

I’ve been doing this since I was a child and thought it was just me. Sorry to hear so many others suffer but I’m also quite pleased to know I’m not alone. Stress and boredom make me do it more. I’ve found having shellac on has blunted my nails so I can’t pick and also made me not want to bite the skin. I had to be brave to show my hands to the beautician but she was lovely and said she’s got another client who does it.

My Ds age 6 has nibbled his nails down right into the nail bed, he has only half a nail in each finger. They must be so sore. We’ve been using stop and grow since school broke up, and when it’s on he doesn’t bite but as soon as it washes off he is nibbling again. It’s so hard, plus I feel sad for him that’s it’s clearly anxiety related and wonder what he might be anxious about.

No idea how to stop the biting cuz I do it too but I find aquaphor by eucerin really good for helping the skin to heal so there's less rough bits to chew