Please help - how do I stop myself from picking/biting skin around finger nails?

[ShizerMinelli]

Long story short - I pick and bite the skin round my nails, particularly my thumbs, and now up past the knuckle (sounds hideous just writing that )

I know it is gross, it looks awful, and I'm so embarrassed if anyone sees my hands. But I can't seem to break the habit.

I've done it for as long as I can remember, and usually peaks in times of stress, and I can have lovely hands for months and months and something will trigger it, usually something minor or something I'm not even aware of really, i just seem to start up again. I'm not anxious by nature, so not too sure why I do it really. But I am a picker by nature, scabs, ingrown hairs, spots etc, so once I've started, the temptation to pick at the damaged skin just grows and grows.

Pre children I would use the nail varnish that would taste awful. But now, preparing bottles etc, I can't use it. As I have to liberally spread it over my fingers and don't think DC would be thrilled.

Any tips would be gratefully received!

How about getting a nice pair of gloves to wear indoors. You could take them off when working in the kitchen or going to the bathroom. But wear them in all other rooms?

i do this too but i quite enjoy it! to stop though i try and use nice nail varnish and pick that instead

I find if I paint my nails and mend the nail varnish when chipped, any picked/pulled skin heals - and the nicer my hands look, the less likely I am to pick at them - a virtuous circle. Also, nice handcream helps (I got lots of this for Christmas so am using it twice/three time a day)

Thank you! All good ideas!

Have been putting layers and layers of clear gel nail varnish on - and then peeling it off with MUCH satisfaction. But was applying about 4 times a day last week! DH was going spare at little bits all over the house!

Knitting, crochet, worry beads, a piece of plastercine/blu-tac or similar to keep you fingers 'busy'.
Also try stopping a finger at a time IYSWIM, stop picking your little fingers, when they are healed up and looking nice, then stop picking your ring fingers etc, until you have broken the habit. You are far less likely to pick at your lovely healed up fingers