Why do people bite their nails?
Some people bite their nails habitually, and some bite their nails when they're nervous. But why the nails? What drives a person to gnaw the tips of their fingers, of all things?
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Answers ( 1 )
It’s a type of body-focused repetitive behavior that goes by the clinical name of onychophagia. It’s not always clear why someone develops this particular habit, but once it starts, it can be difficult to manage. Many people who begin biting their nails as children eventually outgrow the habit. For others, it becomes a lifelong habit that can be extremely difficult to quit.
some of the causes are
Impatience, frustration, boredom
Once nail biting becomes a habit, it can become your go-to behavior when you’re waiting around, frustrated, or just plain bored. It’s something you do to keep yourself occupied.
Concentration
Sometimes, it’s just an absentminded tendency rather than a conscious choice during moments of intense concentration. You might not be aware that you’re biting your nails while trying to work out a problem.
Stress, anxiety
Biting your nails can be a nervous habit, possibly an effort to find temporary relief from stress and anxiety.
Emotional or psychological problems
Nail biting can be associated with mental health conditions, such as:
attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)
major depressive disorder (MDD)
obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD)
oppositional defiant disorder
separation anxiety disorder
Tourette syndrome
Not everyone with these disorders bites their nails. By the same token, biting your nails doesn’t mean you have a psychological disorder.