What Causes Severe Nail Biting?

Severe nail biting or Onychophagia is a compulsive, addictive behavior common to both children and adults. Individuals can cause severe damage to their nails by biting both the fingernails and the cuticles surrounding the nails and this habit can result in secondary bacterial infection to their fingers. While stress can be one of the causes for severe nail biting, some individuals bite their nails even when relaxed watching television or even during conversing.

Stress

• Many people bite their nails when they are nervous or stressed out. The stress creates anxiety and severe nail biting is the stress-reliever. Nail biting can have the same effect as a baby's sucking his thumb. It can have a soothing, calming effect on an individual and relax him enough to reduce the high level of stimulation on his nervous system.

Boredom

• Some individuals will begin biting their nails during the teenage years when they become restless and bored. Keeping them busy with an activity to occupy their hands, such as bouncing a ball or playing ball games, drawing, painting or just squeezing on a stress ball might be a deterrent for nail biting. These individuals need continuous support in keeping them involved and motivated toward activities to prevent boredom.

Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD)

• Some people are never quite happy with the looks of their nails and constantly bite them in an effort to improve their appearance. These individuals may suffer from an obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) whereby their anxiety level is so high that they become preoccupied with doing something over and over again such as severe nail biting. Therapy and medication can usually help with the disorder.

Bad Habit

• Severe nail biting can be done just out of habit. Some people will bite their nails when they are anxious, stressed, nervous or excited or because it just feels good. Some may not even be aware of doing it. Different techniques can be used to rid them of this bad habit. Helping the individual to become aware of the habit, finding out the underlying causes for the nail biting and seeking medical help can be a start in the right direction.