# Chewing fingers and lips



## Urquhart (Jan 9, 2012)

This might just be a sign of absent-mindedness or boredom, but I have a tendency to chew the skin from both my fingers and the inside of my mouth to the point of bleeding. It's almost a compulsion - I'll nibble a bit off, but then there's a ragged edge, so I need to deal with that, and by the end my nail-beds are raw. Ditto with my mouth, made worse by being unable to cover my gums up to avoid more biting. My fingers' customary garb these days are protective plasters. 

I was just curious as to whether other people have this habit, and whether they think it might be linked to an underlying insecurity. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.


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## Rob just Rob (Jan 10, 2012)

I do this, not as bad inside my mouth. Sometimes I do the inside of my mouth badly, but my fingers see most of the abuse. I bite my finger skin until it's raw and bleeding. My fingers look like crap and I just can't shake it, I get so nervous in public I start talking to myself and biting my fingers is the only thing I can do stop myself from having a panic attack.


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## icemocha3 (Nov 18, 2010)

i do that when I'm nervous, bored, tired.. it's disgusting. i'm sure it looks bad to the outside observer


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## panic bomb (Dec 23, 2011)

yeah i do both. it's just bad habits wouldn't worry about it too much,


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## Organ (Jan 10, 2012)

/raises hand

Me, too. 

Although, now that I think about it, if was way worse when I was younger.


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## smt074 (Dec 16, 2011)

I used to bite my nails until my fingertips would hurt. I stopped biting them about two years ago and they are almost as good as new now. I still bite the inside of my mouth though. Trying to stop that too.


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## TheExplosionist (Apr 13, 2009)

I only do it when I get stressed which is often.


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## Help please (Dec 9, 2011)

I bite my bottom lip, it can get sore a lot... Try putting something to repel you on your hand, or as ace Ventura would say...

Like a glove!


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## Addler (Apr 28, 2011)

I bite and pick my nails and the skin around them constantly. I've been chewing on my lips a lot lately, but that's mostly because it's winter and they're dried out. I know I'm always picking at my fingers because I'm anxious and can't keep still. I never know what to do with my hands...


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## Y Ddraig Goch (Dec 28, 2011)

I do both at times but it seems to be my nails/fingers when i am bored and my lip when i am nervous. I've not bitten my lip for a while but i did it today because a nice girl sat next to me on the bus haha.


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## leave me alone (Apr 1, 2011)

Yup.. The biting lips/inside mouth part. Sometimes it gets to the point it starts bleeding. I used to bite my nails and picking the skin around, but I dont do that anymore.


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## Urquhart (Jan 9, 2012)

Help please said:


> I bite my bottom lip, it can get sore a lot... Try putting something to repel you on your hand, or as ace Ventura would say...
> 
> Like a glove!


It probably says something disturbing about my childhood that I genuinely can't read the last sentence of your post without doing so in Jim Carrey's voice. Thanks for the memories, man!

I'm a little caught between being glad that it's not such an outlandish habit if you have a tendency to get stressed, and wishing that quite a few less of you guys actually have it. At least, thanks for the votes of solidarity.


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## Addler (Apr 28, 2011)

If anyone's looking to stop biting, you could try putting something bitter on your hands. When I was little and a champion thumb-sucker, my parents put bitter orange on my thumb. Didn't stop me, but I clearly had no desire to cooperate


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## Mary333 (Jun 30, 2012)

Actually the bitter tasting stuff doesn't really work. I tried it numerous times. I kind of got used to the taste. Anyways, I think that you have the best chances if you become more aware of your nail biting, take good care on your nails and have a good motivation. I found one website that had some pretty good information on it. http://stopnailbitingtips.com/ I think if you are a bit determined and have some decent technqiues, you can stop biting your nails. Marry


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## Chil (Jun 18, 2012)

I pick the skin on my lips sometimes to the point of them bleeding to looking like i have a fat lip


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