Natural Methods to Stop Nail Biting (Onychophagia) for Good

According to the AOL Health website "Nail-biting (onychophagia) is a common stress-relieving habit. You may bite your nails in times of stress or excitement, or in times of boredom or inactivity. It can also be a learned behavior from family members. Nail-biting is the most common of the typical "nervous habits," which include thumb-sucking, nose-picking, hair-twisting or -pulling, tooth-grinding, and picking at skin".

Anyone who has a nail biting habit is usually looking for a way to rid of it. Many of them fail because the methods they have tried don't work or are too hard to use so they stop trying. There have been a large number of treatments created over the years but most of them don't really work. Some of the more popular ones include:

Medications - If you see your doctor about the nail biting problem there a good chance he'll prescribe an anti-depressant which in many cases is worse than the nail biting. If you are on medication for nail biting you should see if there isn't a natural way of curing the problem.

Behavioral Therapy - This is all about unlearning your bad habit (nail biting) and replacing it with something more constructive in nature. This method is called Habit Reversal Training and works well with people who are able to discipline themselves. Although its reported to work better when used in combination with medications try to do it without the medicine so you don't wind up with another habit you need to break.

Nail Polishes -T hese include polish that is almost impossible to bite through to ones that just taste bad. They are not only expensive but you have to spend the time to put it on and take care of it along with your nails. Due to the care of your nail this may be a way to cure your nail biting.

Topical Treatments - These are creams that usually taste bad and are messy to use. Because of the mess they create many people don't use them all the time and don't get the benefit they might otherwise provide.

Will power - To many people this seems to be an obvious way to stop nail biting. Unfortunately it is one of the least effective ones. New Years Resolutions, reminder notes and the like tend to be forgotten soon after they're made. You are going to need a lot of will power to really stop the nail biting and along with the tips below may just be the remedy you're looking for.

My number one pick is hypnosis because I've seen positive results from it. Both professional and self hypnosis will work. One of the reasons hypnosis seems to work for so many people is that most of the time nail biting is a subconscious activity and so is hypnosis. I recommend self hypnosis as you can do it when and where you want. You may need to see a professional to learn how, although the library and book stores have tapes and books to teach you how to do it. The internet is a great place to find both free help and paid courses.

There are a number of other types of treatments available with some of them focusing on changes in behavior and others using physical bars to nail biting:

1. Taking care of your nails yourself, by keeping them neatly trimmed will help you keep from biting them.

2. By have regular manicures you will likely be proud of your nails and not bite them.

3. Wearing artificial nails may also keep you from biting them and will protect them as they grow out

4. Practice stress-management techniques as many people bite their nails in stressful situations. Hypnosis can help.

5. Paint your nail with a bad tasting polish which will remind you not to bite them when you taste the polish.

6. Find ways to keep your hands busy when you find yourself starting to bite your nails such as crafts, working puzzles, etc.

7. Keep a record of what you are doing when you bite your nails. Once you realize the pattern you can either not do the activity or make a conscious effort not to bite your nails during that time.

8. Whenever possible wear gloves, Band-Aids, stickers or just tape on your fingers to remind yourself not to nail-bite.

9. Chew sugarless gum to keep your teeth busy

10. I've been told by nail-biters that this one works real well. Put a rubber band around your wrist and snap it on the inside of your wrist whenever you start to bite your nails. It hurts enough that before long you'll stop biting. When I say their new nails I had to believe it works.

When children are having problems in school or with their friends they appear to bite their nails more often. Help your child figure out what is causing them to bite their nails and they are apt to quit right away. Make sure that if your child starts a treatment for nail biting it will be one they can use successfully.

With all these tips on quitting nail biting you should be able to find one that works for you. It probably won't happen overnight but with a concerted effort to find a cure I'm sure you'll be able to have the kind of nails you want.

AOL Health- http://www.aolhealth.com/health-concern/nail-biting