There's something you guys may not know about me. I have a...problem. I get certain urges, things I feel I can't control. I'll act on impulse, without thinking. It's been an addiction for years. I've tried to stop, but my desire has gotten in the way of my common sense.

What is this that I speak of?

Guys...

I'm a compulsive fingernail biter.

Now that half of you have probably breathed a massive sigh of relief, I guess we can move on.

You may be wondering what numerous other people wonder about us nail-biters: Why do it? I mean, think about it, it's pretty darn disgusting. Your fingers touch a wide variety of things throughout the day, and guess where all the dirt and germs get built up to where you can't reach? That's right. Right under the fingernail.

Well, to understand that, you have to understand what leads to nail-biting. In my loose study of this, I've rounded it off to a few common causes...

• Influence. In other words, they picked it up from another biter or person biting their nails (there is a difference, I'll get to that). This is probably the most common and the longest-lasting, because it usually starts at an impressionable age, where it begins to stick.
• Nervousness. People get restless when they're nervous. We drum our fingers, tap our foot, and, yes, bite our fingernails.
• Don't care to clip fingernails. Some kids just won't use those clippers. I mean, why would you when your teeth are always on hand?
• Hunger. Yeah, gross, but when you're hungry you want to at least simulate some part of that process. Just like chewing gum, only your nails are always there.

Now, there are two different kinds of biting. There's occasional biting and then there's compulsive biting. The former I refer to as simply 'a person that has bitten their fingernails'. The latter is what I define as 'nail-biters'. What's the difference?

Occasional biters really have no habit or have a very minor one. A single situation, perhaps nervously waiting for a job interview, drove them to bite their fingernails. Perhaps they needed to clip their nails fast and had no clippers on hand. But the thing is that it rarely occurs and is generally for special occasions.

Compulsive biters are those who have developed a habit and will do it without thinking. There may be no need or drive to bite the nail, but the biter does it anyway, without a second thought. Often, the biter doesn't realize what he's doing until someone puts it out to him.

With that defined, then you may wonder now why would biters want to stop? Let's go back to one of our lists...

• It's kind of disgusting. Regardless of whether you spit the nail out or *shudder* swallow it, it's still extremely unattractive to those around you.
• No fingernails. Your nails are the little catches on your finger that help you maneuver. Your nail provides a thin attachment that slides easily into a place for leverage. Without them, all you've got is your chubby fingers, which generally are no good on their own.
• Bad looking nails. That area for your nail gets real torn up while you're biting down there, and people do notice.
• Hangnails. Nail biting is the most common cause of a hangnail. While hangnails are generally nothing severe, that doesn't make them any more fun to have around.
• Germs, dirt, and worms. Guys, you have no idea what crust is building up under your nail. Germs, dirt, dust, and even the ever-popular tapeworm. If a tapeworm gets under or on your nail and you bite it, you've just given it a one-way ticket to your stomach. Blech.
• Start another habit. A person I know that bit her fingernails for a long time grew accustomed to biting the skin around it as well, which makes that area vulnerable for infection.
• Cut too short! A lot of nail biters have had this experience, where you bite your nails too short. You don't want to press up against it, or it will feel irritated. Then you're at the mercy of your fingernails growth cycle to relive yourself.
• Doesn't taste good. Yeah, I know, gross, but there's nothing appetizing about the taste of a fingernail.

Not too nice, huh? A lot of nail biters will say that it's not as bad as it appears, but that really doesn't make it any better. Sure, fingernail biting isn't a terminal condition, but it sure is a stinky habit to have.

Those of you that may be nail biters, I would recommend you stop. If you haven't been convinced it's not a great habit by now, then you'll come to see that eventually, I guarantee.

Some of you may have tried and know it's not easy. Contrary to things like substance addictions, your nails are always around 24/7 to tempt you. They're a part of your body. So yeah, it's hard.

Some tips on how to deal with this...

• Willpower. Make a mental note. Make a New Year's Resolution. Whatever it takes, you are in control of your brainwaves, and you can tell your fingers to stay away from those teeth of yours. Ultimately, every method requires this, but for some, this is all they need.
• Remind yourself. Put a note on your mirror, in your locker, maybe even on your hands. I know one guy who put marker on all his fingernails to remind him to stop. Maybe it's an object near your fingers (like a wristband or a ring) that will there simply for the purpose of being a reminder. Whatever will make you remember you want to stop.
• Get a partner. When I broke the habit of biting my nails, I did it at the same time as my girlfriend, who was dealing with the same problem. We constantly were reminding and asking each other. A living, breathing reminder can sometimes be more effective than inanimates.
• Motivate yourself. Reward yourself. Go 28 days without biting your nails and treat yourself to an ice cream or something. It doesn't need to be huge, just something exclusive and satisfying enough that it will keep you wanting to stop.
• REALLY motivate yourself. When rewards don't work, pull out the punishment. When I was breaking my habit, my girlfriend persuaded me to make a deal with her. If I bit my nails a certain number of times, she would paint the last finger I bit with nail polish. Risky, eh? But how's that for motivation?

(I'm happy to say that I never got a whiff of that nail polish, and only bit my nails twice within the time it took to break the habit.)

Why do I make a big deal out of this? 'Cause it's a very common habit that gets so overlooked that nobody ever deals with it. Now, like I said, I don't think biting your fingernails is capable of ultimately killing you, but it's called a bad habit for a reason. By the way, once you conquer biting your fingernails, you'll start getting more confident about other habits you may need to break (or form).

Anyway, that's just my random rant for the day. Bet you guys enjoyed reading a whole entry devoted to fingernails, huh?

Freely,

Dr. Bionicle