Onychophagia Test
I get this intense need to smooth out any rough edges on my fingernails when they're not perfectly even.
Sometimes my nail-biting gets so bad that my cuticles or fingers actually bleed.
Once I begin chewing on my nails, I can't seem to make myself quit.
Ripping off a bit of fingernail provides a temporary sense of calm or relief.
I often keep my hands out of sight because I'm embarrassed about how my nails look.
My efforts to quit biting my nails never seem to last very long.
I chew my nails all the way down until there's almost nothing left.
Nail-biting sometimes happens without me really thinking about it, like my body's on automatic.
Seeing the damage I've done to my nails or cuticles makes me feel really ashamed.
The urge to bite my nails can feel completely uncontrollable.
I continue chewing even when my fingers are sore, bleeding, or showing signs of infection.
It sometimes seems like my nail-biting habit is negatively affecting my whole life.
When I'm deeply focused on a task, I often find myself starting to bite my nails.
I steer clear of activities where people might see my hands, like going for a manicure.
My nail-biting gets much worse whenever I'm feeling anxious or stressed out.
After biting one nail, I feel compelled to keep going until all my nails are equally chewed.
I unconsciously run my fingers over my nails searching for rough spots before I start biting.
I sometimes catch myself biting my nails without even noticing I was doing it.
After a nail-biting session, I often end up feeling frustrated or disappointed with myself.
If I catch someone glancing at my nails, it makes me feel self-conscious.
20 questions remaining
Things to Know
- Research says that as many as 30% of people, and an even bigger percentage of kids, bite their nails. It is not clear how many people suffer serious distress or physical harm as a result.
- It's not always clear when nail-biting becomes a problem. But anyone who bites their nails all the time and can't stop, or who feels very ashamed or guilty about it, should probably get help.
- Onychophagia is a type of body-focused repetitive behaviour (BFRB), which is a group of disorders that all involve strong, compulsive urges to groom oneself. Trichotillomania (hair-pulling disorder) and dermatillomania (skin-picking disorder) are also body-focused repetitive behaviours.
- Nail-biting often happens at the same time as hair-pulling, skin-picking, or both. A lot of people who have been diagnosed with another mental illness, like ADHD or anxiety, also bite their nails.
- Other BFRBs often start around puberty, but nail-biting usually starts in early childhood, around age 4 or later. Teens can start biting their nails, but it's not as common as it is for adults.
- Cognitive behavioural therapy or habit reversal training are two common ways to treat onychophagia. People don't usually take medicine for this, but some people who take SSRIs for other problems say they also help with nail-biting.
What to Do Next
- Try DIY solutions: Putting on bitter nail polish, getting regular manicures, or wearing gloves can all help stop you from biting your nails, even if they don't completely stop it.
- Think about getting help. Very few people who bite their nails get help, but it can be very helpful, especially as the behaviour gets worse.
- Be aware of what makes you want to bite your nails. Knowing what makes you anxious or what makes you want to bite your nails, like waiting in line, can help you get back in control.
