I've been a nail biter from a very young age. I'm not sure whether it's triggered by nerves, boredom, or stress. All I know is that through my childhood I never had nice nails and it didn't bother me. My mom would paint nasty tasting polish on them, but it didn't stop me for long. The habit stayed with me as an adult. I've had successful periods of quitting this disgusting habit, but I'm still a nail biter. In fact, I started the habit back up at the beginning of the year. Now, I find myself chewing gum every chance I get the urge to nibble on my nails in order to let them grow. It's helping, like it always does for me. Another trick I use is to paint them a new color every Sunday. They are finally getting long enough to paint... growing past the tip of my finger. That's a real victory for a serious nail biter. I hate painting my nails when they're short enough to tell that they've been chewed. I'll be painting them for the first time this growth spurt on Sunday and I know my mom will be happy when she notices.
I have a confession to ad to the confession: I usually always nibble on my pinkies. When I'm in a growth stage, I don't scold myself for it as long as I leave my other nails alone.
