I Tired of this Habit

[Crystaliana]

I have been biting/picking at my nails for as long as I can remember.  I have been known to pick my nails until they are up to half pulled off. It hurts while doing it and also while it heals but I still do it. While I am doing it, my brain is screaming stop that but I just don't until my nails are raw. Whenever I see that my nails are even a bit long, I begin to pick them. It happens when I am in class, meetings, and watching TV. I've tried to use fidgets but just end up putting them down and going back to my nails after a few minutes. This habit has spread to my acne as well and I often pick at my face while driving and watching TV. I just don't know how to stop this habit and it makes me very self-conscious about my hands and face.

[Monsoon]

On 3/22/2023 at 5:45 PM, Crystaliana said:

I have been biting/picking at my nails for as long as I can remember.  I have been known to pick my nails until they are up to half pulled off. It hurts while doing it and also while it heals but I still do it. While I am doing it, my brain is screaming stop that but I just don't until my nails are raw. Whenever I see that my nails are even a bit long, I begin to pick them. It happens when I am in class, meetings, and watching TV. I've tried to use fidgets but just end up putting them down and going back to my nails after a few minutes. This habit has spread to my acne as well and I often pick at my face while driving and watching TV. I just don't know how to stop this habit and it makes me very self-conscious about my hands and face.

Hey there,

Thank you for sharing this with us. It's really common to pick at your nails, and many can use it as a coping mechanism without even realising. I'm wondering, have you noticed any patterns in when you do it? For example, do you do it more when you are stressed and less when you are relaxed? 

[Crystaliana]

16 hours ago, Monsoon said:

Hey there,

Thank you for sharing this with us. It's really common to pick at your nails, and many can use it as a coping mechanism without even realising. I'm wondering, have you noticed any patterns in when you do it? For example, do you do it more when you are stressed and less when you are relaxed? 

I tend to do it more when I am just sitting around or when I am bored. I pick at my face while driving for extended times. I picked at my nails while watching TV, listening to a lecture, or in any kind of virtual meeting. I don't think its an anxiety response at this point but I could be wrong.

[Monsoon]

1 hour ago, Crystaliana said:

I tend to do it more when I am just sitting around or when I am bored. I pick at my face while driving for extended times. I picked at my nails while watching TV, listening to a lecture, or in any kind of virtual meeting. I don't think its an anxiety response at this point but I could be wrong.

Hey there,

I'm wondering then, when you are picking, what kind of thoughts and feelings are you having? Also, how would you say you feel before and after you've done it?