Onychophagia--bad habit or real problem? - Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) Message Board

rushrulz · 02-28-2003, 08:49 AM

I've noticed that some people (on the web) are comparing compulsive nail biting (the extreme form of it) with skin picking, hair pulling, and OCD.

I wonder how you'd define it, though? When is it a real problem?

Health books say that it's only a problem if done to the point of bleeding. Well, is that still true if you didn't intend for it to bleed, if you didn't want to go quite that far? I mean, that hurts, and that's no fun.

Needless to say, my nails aren't anything to look at. They're total disasters of malformity and infection, actually. I have no desire to quit, but am just curious about exactly how messed up this is.

west virginia girl · 03-01-2003, 12:51 PM

Hi

I would actally say if your fingernails are infectioned that it is somewhat of a problem. I mean anything can become a problem and I do think that nail biting is a form of ocd just as anything else can be.
But if you don't want to stop then there isn't much anyone else can do for you.

You wrote......

*****Health books say that it's only a problem if done to the point of bleeding. Well, is that still true if you didn't intend for it to bleed, if you didn't want to go quite that far? I mean, that hurts, and that's no fun.*****

#1.....Bleeding can occur and something not even hurt you that bad but if something tears or breaks the skin it's going to bleed. So I will let this question go.
But......
#2.....If you didn't want it to go quite that far, It doesn't matter if you wanted it to or not,Since you have this problem ***** is a ocd problem more along the lines of a compulsion then this is what I want to ask is.....
Are you really in control of how far you want to bite your nails and when it's time to stop so you don't make them bleed?
Or is the OCD making you feel you have to bite so many times or you just can't stop till it "feels" right?

The reason I am asking is because I do the same thing but ok here's the GROSS part I do it with my big toes.....

SICK HUH!!!!! I bite the side of my toe nails like where the nail grows down in the skin ,It's hard to explain....But the point is I can't quit till I have that piece of toenail out of there and then when it is out and then sometimes I don't feel satisfied I bite the skin around my toe and usually it gets sore and bleeds......But the major point is I can't stop till it feels right and this is just a symptom of the ocd,the compulsion.

In your mind I think you will know when biting your nails has become a problem. I bite my nails to but I always have since I was a kid,but I don't make them bleed or anything inless I rip one on accident and MAN that hurts!!!! But the key word here is accident. I think the ocd impowers you to bite more than you actually want to.
Sorry to have rambled on and on.
TAKE CARE

rush-rulz · 03-01-2003, 04:38 PM

[It's still me--I had to open a new account; password problems.]

I don't know if I'd describe it as "feeling right." I can't stand to see any dead nail on there; I have to get rid of it. Same for the little "bits" that result from my efforts. Of course, every effort causes a new problem. I almost lost a nail once when I got more than I bargained for.

I've taken to using scissors now to get the bits, but now I'm taking layers off in the process, so some of them have more than one "level."

I used to do my toes, and still do a bit, but wearing shoes and having trouble reaching have helped. I cut them, but I usually cut them too short.