Okay I have been biting my nails for as long as I have been on this earth which is about to be sixteen whole years. I am using this nail polish with a nail polish remover taste to it, but the problem with me is that I either bite or peel the polish off of my nails despite the taste of the polish. I also bite my nails because of my anxiety and boredom and I just can't seem to leave them alone long enough to let them grow properly. They are literally nubs at this point and I am desperately in need of letting them grow or finding a way to finally stop biting my nails once and for all. Is there any advice or tips for someone like me in this situation?
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I used to be a nail biter then I got an infection and had to get pus removed and I stopped bitting my nail since.
Might be gross to say but you can watch YouTube like nail infection from biting nails or something and it might help you stop altogether.
Some other ideas I can think of:
I used to bite my nails and stopped when my sister got engaged. Even though engagement was a long way off for me, I realized that rings do not look pretty on hands with bitten nails.
The word that caught my attention was anxiety. Have you told an adult about this? Anxiety is so common and is something that can be managed pretty easily for most people.
Anxiety is so common and affects people of all ages. It just is and it can be managed and controlled.
Please consider finding an adult who you trust and talk to him or her about what is going on and develop a plan for ways to manage things. A parent, a grandparent, aunt or uncle, a teacher, your school counselor, a religious person (priest, rabbi etc.) Find someone you trust and tell the person what is going on. It is easy. You can do this!!!
There are so many options and many of them have simple things to do...like learning mindfulness, having an app to help you count your blessings, developing prayers to help you through, talking to a friend, so many options. There are many, many things that work! I promise you there are lots of solutions to choose from and hopefully you can find one that works for you quickly!
I will send up lots of prayers that you can work with someone you trust to resolve this and the nail biting will become less and less of a way to manage your anxiety.
Post back with an updates so I know you are OK!! Hugs!!!
I will definitely do that and keep you updated, by the way one of my teachers has seen me in an anxiety attack like twice already. One of them was caused by being threatened with detention and the other one was being 'caught ' in the hallway for being tardy to class even though I was walking from her class without a pass, my face was red ( Rosacea ), I was breathing heavily and I was just about ready to cry and I was rambling on about how the principal was about to give me a detention, I was just a mess.
That does sound like classic anxiety and it is nothing to be ashamed of. Seriously. There are many causes and lots of ways to control it but everyone has it to some degree or another. If someone says they don't have anxiety or have never had it, I can just about guarantee they are lying. It is normal. We were hard wired to have it for survival (like the flight or fight thing from when we were being chased by dinosaurs). It does NOT have to control you. You can learn to control it.
Who is a trusted adult (or who are your trusted adults? Sit down today and have a chat with him/her/them and tell them honestly what you have been experiencing. The nail biting is just a manifestation of the anxiety...it is that breathing hard and red face that is can be worrisome and can be controlled.
There should be no shame in the discussion. If the first trusted adult doesn't help, find another one. Seriously. Anxiety just is. It just happens to the best of us. I had my first anxiety attack at 18 and have been able to manage mine all these years and you can to.
You are 16 and as a human being you are beautiful and amazing and strong. Take care of yourself and let me know how you are doing. You can do this! Like anything else in life it is a one second, one minute, one day at a time thing!
Prayers and best wishes!!
I was so glad to read Pghgirl's response to your message as I also believe anxiety seems to be your biggest problem so I hope you will follow her suggestions and get the help you need.
Sixteen should be a fun time in your life but can be full of new things/problems coupled with older unresolved problems that can become overwhelming.
Nail biting can be a problem and can be embarrassing but it is probably a minor part of your overall well being. Concentrate on getting appropriate help and then you may be able to stop this cycle of nail biting.
Seek help and do not think that you are "different" or that you are alone with problems like this as there are many 13-18 year olds in the same situation of being anxious about all sorts of things in their lives.
Just be sure you are one of the ones that seek help so you can smile and look forward to feeling good everyday.
Pretty nails will follow.
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