Is it just a bad habit?

Nail biting is a bad habit that is common in children, and in some cases can also occur in adulthood. If a person's nail biting becomes more frequent and affects their health, is this simply a bad habit or a manifestation of a mental disorder?

On October 11, Dr. Vo Thi Ngoc Thu, a neurologist at the Nam Sai Gon International General Hospital, said that nail biting can be considered a bad habit or a self-harming behavior that often occurs when we feel bored, stressed, or anxious. If nail biting becomes frequent and affects daily life, it is considered a form of body-focused repetitive behavioral disorder (mental disorder).

Body-focused repetitive behavior disorder has many causes, including complications of anxiety disorders, stress, or it can be a reaction to conflict or stressful life situations. It can also have a genetic component and can occur with other psychological disorders such as obsessive-compulsive disorder or impulse control disorder. However, nail biting is not always related to a mental disorder.

Some signs help us distinguish nail biting habit from mental disorder:

Nail biting habit : Usually occurs when people feel stressed, anxious, possibly due to a habit from childhood. Nail biting habit does not cause other psychological symptoms such as depression, insomnia, or negative thinking.

Psychiatric disorders: Signs include sleep disturbances, depression, mood swings, excessive worry and negative thinking. It may be associated with psychological disorders such as obsessive-compulsive disorder, anxiety disorder or mood disorder. Nail biting due to psychiatric disorders will seriously affect the quality of life and require treatment.

To be able to determine the exact cause of nail biting addiction, the patient should go to a medical facility to see a doctor for advice.

Nail biting addiction can cause tissue damage in the fingers

The harmful effects of nail biting and some measures to prevent it

Constant nail biting can cause a number of short-term problems, including dental problems such as crooked teeth, chipped teeth, fungal nail infections. Oral problems, including jaw pain and soft tissue injuries, skin infections, tissue damage in the fingers, nails and cuticles. In addition, bacteria and viruses can live on the surface of nails and fingers for many hours, so when you put your hands in your mouth, you will expose your body to viruses that cause colds, flu, gastrointestinal diseases...

There are many home remedies that can be used to help stop nail biting, such as using a mouth guard, painting your nails with bitter nail polish, trimming your nails, or using the traditional method of applying bitter oil to your nails. Try wearing gloves at night or when you are alone to avoid biting your nails. Instead of biting your nails, replace the habit with chewing gum or your favorite candy.

In case you have applied many measures and tried many times to quit the habit of biting your nails but still have not been effective, you should consult a doctor.

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