I chew my fingers...

Yea, bit weird, I know.

Ever since I was a teeny little person, I've chewed my nails/fingers. For some reason its especially bad at the moment, and watching a film is actually painful as I sit there gnawing away. If I'm not chewing my fingers are picking away. I do it subconsciously. I've even woken myself up doing it.

Someone told me it was the brain - when concentrating - getting bored and finding something else to do. It does sort of fit. When I'm watching a film, sitting at my computer doing work or reading a book are the worst times. I used to think it was nerves, but that was probably just a result of my mum just assuming I was nervous about something and telling me not to be.

Has anyone here had/got the same problem and worked out a way to stop? I've tried that nasty tasting stuff, but I just used my fingers more or started chewing on pens!?

 

Gloves

 

tape

 

Do you bite the skin around your nails off? I do that too, can't explain it :/

 

I have pretty much the same problem, I've 'almost' been able to stop a few times but I just 'relapse' into it again.
I found that the easiest way to stop yourself doing it is to have something for your hands to play with. Be it a pen or, what I use, a pile of poker chips I got from Las Vegas, I learned some chip tricks and I sit and play with them in my hands while I'm watching TV or something that usually results in biting :/

 

I do the same and don't know why.

 

I used to do it, but I found that if I was vigilant with a pair of nail-clippers, I wouldn't do it. (Used to do it basically to trim my nails tbh). Another thing you could try is putting something foul-tasting on your fingernails... After a bit you'll get rid of the habit tbh.

 

Yup same prob here, when i was young i bit most my right middle finger nail off but it has now re-grown and have now done the same to my left index finger, like will. I tried the nasty tasting nail polish a while back but it didn't work, have to agree with cabe64 you got to find something to keep em busy...

 

I bite my nails too. But I've noticed that when I am quite busy, I bite less...

So I guess, keep them busy!

 

You can get some solution to go on them that tastes horrid and stops you from doing it.. Or, get some chewing gum.. At least then your not chewing your fingers...

Or, you get special tissue regeneration powers like Claire in Heroes..

 

I do similar but I bite/chew pens, and frequently my knuckles (yes, I know, its weird).
I've never found a way to stop, continually typing does stop it though due to the fact that I am unable to use my hands but that's about it.

 

Before nail cutters and before we were civilised, isnt this the natural and normal way to trim them. Cats claw trees to wear down their nails. Dogs scratch the pavement to do the same.

I dont find it strange when people bite their nails, I believe its natural instict.

 

^ but when you bite/nibble to the point that your fingers are sore/bleed, and your nail is just something that sits atop your finger and so is useless, it's time to stop.

In any case, we've moved on from being cavemen. do you wipe your arse with leaves even though we've invented loo roll?

 

leaves are win

 

Why waste perfectly good leaves when you have a hand for scooping?

 

im the same but i cant stop, i chew all the skin around the nails aswell. usually bleeds and hurts but i still do it for some reason. ive tried 2 keep my fingers busy by learning a few pen spinning tricks and playing with a zippo, but it doesnt really work for me.

 

I tend to scratch the skin of my finger using my nails. By thumbs tend to get the most "wear", and they often lack skin from the nail and town to where the thumb and index finger meet. It's quite satisfying to get a huge chunk of skin to come of, TBH.

 

Put garlic and onion juice on them

 

Yum!
No, really I'd like that.

Although I can relate to the whole compulsion thing. I've thrashed on a guitar until my fingers have bled before. Although admittedly it was just an scab coming off from a cut. But I still like to use it as an anecdote.

 

That's why I'm addicted to gum. I used to do that and/or grind my teeth, which is really bad, so I started chewing gum. Usually go through a pack every two days, and it's a lot healthier than smoking....