For me it was something I had to push deep into my thoughts. I was in the same boat you’re in where I wouldn’t even notice that I was biting my finger nails until I had already chewed a few off. It mainly happened when I was in front of the computer or watching TV or a movie. What I started to do was keep telling myself that I would only bite one of two finger nails on my left hand. I kept thinking that over and over. Within a week the finger nails on my right hand looked pretty good and did three on the left hand.

When I got that far I thought I’d be able to stop biting the two other nails. But I constantly found myself putting my hand near my mouth. Nearly 25 years of this bad habit and I was determined to quit! So what I said I’d do was to “clean my finger nails” with my teeth. Yeah I know… sounds disgusting (and it is). Instead of biting my nails I’d just run my bottom teeth under my finger nail. I still do this now but I’m not actually biting my finger nails. I’m still trying to stop doing “cleaning my finger nails” in this way, but I think it’s the only thing keeping me from biting them again.

Basically the hard part of the habit for me was (is) controlling my mind from making me place my hands near my mouth and within biting range. I figured that as long as I could stop the actual biting of the finger nails I’d be all set. And what do you know… it worked!

Hope this helps!

If you can get even a wee bit of length on them this is a start.

Then, don’t go anywhere without a nail file! It helps guard against the temptation of gnawing at the rough bits…

Paint them a colour that would show up really terribly on your teeth. >.<

OR, there is a certain clear polish you can use on them that tastes really horrible.

My mother told me that nails grow faster when you polish them. She was
right. I recommend that you go out and get yourself a clear nail polish
(Preferably Sally Hansen “Hard as Nails”). Paint them constantly. When you
get the urge to bite them don’t put them in your mouth!!! Instead of biting
them use the other nails to scratch the paint off. I used this method a few
years ago. I went through lots of polish and left tons of scrapings on the
desks in class but the nails grew. I broke out of the habit of putting them
in my mouth and got into the habit of painting them whenever I had free
time. Early AM, afternoon, on a smoke break, in the PM, etc. I used the
clear because I didn’t want any one to notice that I painted them in a
hurry. I like Sally Hansen because it made my nails very hard. They are
super long now. I hope this is helpful. Let me know how it goes.

Shemeika

PS: It takes 150 days for your nails to grow from cuticle to tip, but you’ll
see progress in 2 weeks. :)

I can’t say that I’ve spent a long time in not biting my nails (only 3 weeks) but I was so determind to stop biting them. I started looking online for ways to stop and I came across one expirement that said to wear a rubberband around your wrist and everytime you catch yourself biting your nails to snap the band. I guess you can use this technique for anything but it works soooo well in not biting your nails!

Use stop-n-grow or some other horrible tasting paint for as long as you need to.

If you can afford it, promise yourself a professional manicure after 3 weeks of not biting. Make the appointment. Otherwise buy some nice polish, hand cream etc and do it yourself.

Aim for some occasion where you want to have nice nails, a party or whatever.

Keep an emery board handy at all times, also an orange stick to clean your nails so you’re not tempted to do it with your teeth.

If you bite one nail, you’ve bitten one nail. File it down, forgive yourself and leave the rest alone!

Try to keep your hands away from your face full stop – this supposedly helps prevent spots and colds too!

ok, its all willpower when u get to the bottom of it. honestly, if u say u wanna stop and then do it, u wont wanna go back. tell ur friends/family about ur goal so that if they see u biting they can stop u. good luck and hope it works out!

I read about this in a book called something like “Cheap Psychological Tricks.” It worked like a charm.

Wear a rubber band on your wrist.

Whenever you have a desire to bite your nails, or find yourself biting your nails without realizing it, give yourself a good hard snap – it should hurt. If you still have the desire to bite them, repeat until you don’t want to bite them anymore.

I had absolutely no desire to bite my nails, in something ridiculous like 2 days. I wore the rubber band for a few more weeks in case I found myself accidentally biting, and after that I was cured.

It’s important that you snap yourself even when you just find yourself wanting to bite your nails – otherwise it doesn’t work. Best of luck!

Foolproof way of keeping yourself from biting your nails…. I think… Haven’t tried it yet. Let you all know what happens. My plan is to use a finger nail polish brush and wipe gasoline on my nails. I have been chewing for more than 15 years. This has got to keep me from chewing my nails. Warning… This will damage your skin and nails. Hopefully I don’t have to do this for too long.

I’m gonna try to do this tomorrow (i haven’t started yet only just came up with it :P). Write on your hand what are you doing? so that you will see it when you go to bite them. Wear a rubber band just incase that doesn’t help

Stop Your Nailbiting!: Permanently