I'm doing 27 things
Hi, I’m Korrineine and I’m a wolfbiter!
(Hi, Korrineine!)
I cannot believe how many other people there are who eat their fingers… I read a book lately (Under The Pink by Carrie Fisher) in which the main character tore the skin on her thumbs to shreds and I was so gratified to hear that someone else does SOMETHING like me… So to read all the entries about this has been such a catharsis.
I’ve been “wolfbiting” for something like eight years (I’m 21) and I keep expecting myself to grow out of it. I’ve tried a number of things to stop: wrapping the ends of my fingers in plasters just made my mum complain that I was using up all the plasters; sticky tape was just really irritating and I had to rip it all off after about twenty minutes; I even tried covering my hands in a layer of moisturising cream, liberally applying Vaseline to the affected areas and then wearing SURGICAL GLOVES day and night for a few days. Yes, some of the areas healed, but after a while I felt like such an utter freak that I had to take the gloves off and live normally, and shortly I was biting as much as before.
I’ve never caused actual scarring or been unable to do anything because of it (although occasionally it hurts like billy-o to play my guitar) but I’ve definitely grossed out a few boyfriends, and probably friends who were too polite to say anything. The worst side-effect is that I think one of my teeth might have been pushed inwards a little bit, and it’s getting sort of sensitive to the pressure when I bite. I didn’t spend a year and a half wearing braces only to push my own teeth out of position.
Still, with the knowledge that I’m not alone, maybe I can stop now. Filing down the rough bits along with a liberal use of Vaseline will be my new tactics. Thank you, 43 Things!
