The nailbiting thread

I nailbite, a lot. I often have bleeding fingers because I bite the skin too. It has always been bad, but since I’ve stopped gaming it’s gotten way worse. For 10 years I have tried stopping nailbiting. It simply seems impossible. But so did never gaming again and I’m nailing it. Since this forum has helped me so much with maintaining clean time, I decided to try and quit nailbiting using this forum too. Wish me luck

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Hey Dutchy,

Man I will join you on this. 31 and bit my nails my whole life, ever since I was a little kid. Same thing for me, often to the point of breaking the skin. Not a good look.

Tried to stop plenty of times, but only get a week or so, sometimes a bit longer. I stopped for a bit at the beginning of the pandemic too, but right back to normal after a few weeks.

The toughest part wil be that I don’t even realize I’m doing it most of the time, especially if I’m driving. Additionally, if I catch myself, its hard to stop right away, its always “I just have to get this last little piece cleaned up” etc.

So no more for me, too!

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I know exactly what you mean, it could be possible I have already failed but I’m not sure.
And the last little piece thing is a pain in the ass for me too. I’ve had times that my nail was already bleeding and hurting like hell, but I just had to get rid of the last bit, even if it caused me to tear up.
My best attempt so far was in rehab, but then I just focused on not biting specific finger nails, so that they would grow, but the rest wouldn’t.
This time is different though, we’ve got this

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That’s the worst…like the logical part of your brain is screaming “that’s going to fucking hurt if you bite at that bit hanging off”…but you do it anyways.

I’m in!

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I am already struggling lol, this is gonna be a tough challenge to beat

Put bandaids on them… :woman_shrugging:

I’ve tried that before, but as soon as I took them off I’d start biting again. The problem with bandaids is that you don’t learn to fight the urge.
But thanks for the suggestion :smiley:

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I hear you!! I do the same with my fingers. Not constantly, but definitely more so when stressed. It can get painful when I keep biting at it even when it is hurting or bleeding…trying to get that little piece.

I appreciate you posting this. Thank you. :heart:

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you gonna join us in this challenge?

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Shit, reset. Well let’s try again

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This is gonna be tougher than I thought

dammit, failed again. The annoying part is that i keep realising im nailbiting when its already too late

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once again

i started 6 hrs ago. i already have 4 resets with an average of 0.08 days. :man_facepalming:
Nailbiting is so similar to addiction, yet so different. You dont really learn from a relapse, youve just got to push through the urge. and its easier to do it unconsciously because its not like driving to a store to buy booze, its just lifting your hand to your mouth.

I think I will start with being aware of when I am doing it and why. That will hopefully give me a little insight into it.

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Dont worry buddy, I’ve reset this counter 3x today too!

Since its a semi-unconscious habit, I think it starts with being more aware of it, and in the process, reducing it until it stops. Since I’m tracking it now and actively catching it, I become more aware. Its a start.

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Yet another reset

First day, man. Just keep being aware. The less unconscious the habit becomes, the better we stand to stop doing it.

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I really want to stop biting my nails

Tried everything and I still continue after a short period of stopping

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This has always been a problem for me, but skin picking. That is, until I found recovery!

After two or three months in I looked down and realized my fingers were totally healed for the first time in as long as I remember.

I chalked it up to naturally reduced anxiety from being sober and working through a recovery program. I hadn’t been actively trying to stop picking, I just felt more relaxed.

Having noticed, now I catch myself when I start again. It’s a sign I’m nervous/anxious about something and I try to stop, reflect, breathe, take a walk.

Cuz something is gnawing at me and I rather it not be myself!

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