Nail-biting (onychophagia) is a common stress-relieving habit.
You may bite your nails in times of stress or excitement, or in
times of boredom or inactivity. It can also be a learned
behavior from family members. Nail-biting is the most common of
the typical "nervous habits," which include thumb-sucking, nose-
picking, hair-twisting or -pulling, tooth-grinding, and picking
at skin. You may bite your nails without realizing you are doing
it. You might be involved in another activity, such as reading,
watching television, or talking on the phone, and bite your
nails without thinking about it. Nail-biting includes biting the
cuticle and soft tissue surrounding the nail as well as biting
the nail itself. Who bites their nails? People of all ages bite
their nails. Nail-biting may occur with other body-focused
repetitive behaviors (BFRB) such as hair-pulling or skin-
picking. What treatments are available for nail-biting? Several
treatment measures may help you stop biting your nails. Some
focus on behavior changes