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Biting your nails, biting the little skin around you, or even tearing off dead skin from your lips… Many people suffer from these little habits, but some go so far as to injure themselves or create lesions because of these bad habits. . How to fix it easily? Researchers seem to have found the answer.
Biting your nails, biting your lips or tearing off dead skin… “While for many people, these habits are without consequences; for others, this behavior can cause damage to the skin, such as spots, scars, sores and this affects their mental health” explains Steffen Moritz, head of clinical neuropsychology at the department of psychiatry and psychotherapy at the University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf in Germany.
“These habits can become more pronounced at certain times in life and those who suffer from more serious disorders, such as trichotillomania (hair pulling) may avoid intimate moments with their partner, out of shame for their behavior. “ adds the specialist.
Behaviors that put you at risk of serious infection
This type of behavior can also lead to a more or less serious risk of infection. According to researchers, cases of septicemia or severe infections have already been recorded, linked to these practices.
According to Steffen Moritz, cognitive behavioral therapy is the gold standard treatment for this type of disorder, but following their research, another easy-to-implement technique could well become the new gold standard.
A way to calm and soothe the nervous system
For this study, Dr. Moritz and colleagues recruited a cohort of 268 people with a habit of pulling skin or hair, biting their cheeks, or biting their nails, aged 18 to 80 years old. .
Half the group received a manual describing the technique designed by Moritz and his team, while the others were told they were on a waiting list for the same program.
The habit replacement technique that Steffen Moritz and his colleagues designed involves gently stroking your skin in different ways: circling your index and middle fingers, crossing your arms and stroking your forearms, or by turning the tips of his fingers on the palm of the other hand, among other things.
54% improvement in behavior after six weeks
Result: after six weeks, 54% of the people in the group using the replacement techniques reported an improvement in their behavior. This could be measured by a scale designed to rate the severity of repetitive behavior compared to a control group.
However, the study has some important limitations, such as the fact that it was carried out over a fairly short period of time and the vast majority of participants were white women. “We did not do any face-to-face assessment” concludes Dr. Moritz, explaining that many people do not want to seek help from a doctor.
5 tips to avoid biting your nails every day
Generally speaking, doctors and dermatologists recommend these tips to avoid biting your nails:
- Cut your nails short to avoid temptation and regularly perform a manicure to take care of your nails;
- Apply bitter (transparent) nail polish;
- Occupy your hands with an anti-stress object such as a soft ball;
- Identify in what context (stress, boredom, fatigue, etc.) this behavior is exacerbated in order to better anticipate your emotions and this bad reflex;
- Practicing yoga or mindfulness meditation can help you get rid of this bad habit.