Understanding Nail Biting: Causes, Symptoms & Treatment

Nail biting is a habitual behavior among adults and children. It is common when nervousness is present. It has the potential to become compulsive, which consists of repetitive biting and tearing the nails.

Features

• Nail biting that is repeated over and over is referred to as compulsive nail biting. Compulsive nail biting can lead to the nail bed bleeding since the biting consists of biting the nails very short.

Treatment

• A simple nail biting habit can be treated by finding another activity or learning ways to relax. Compulsive nail biting is a condition of obsessive compulsive disorder is normally treated with a medication such as an anti-depressant and psychotherapy.

Significance

• Nail biting is quite common among adults and children as a way to soothe a nervous situation, when the stressful situation ends, the nail biting also stops.

Considerations

• While nail biting may be nothing more than a "bad habit," it is important for adults and parents of children especially to monitor the conduct of nail biting to ensure there is no bleeding or bruising, which can indicate a compulsion.

Warning

• Anti-depressants are used to treat nail biting that is obsessive compulsive which normally take two months before they begin to work.