I have a friend that has obsessive nail chewing problems, what can i do to help her quit that habbit??
962692
i myself had a horrid nail-biting habit until about two years ago.... when i got braces.\nmy orthodontist told me that my excessive nail-biting was causing my teeth to grow at an awkward position, and she gave me a bottle of clear nail polish that i was to wear at all times.\ni soon discovered that the nail polish tasted HORRIBLE when you put your mouth to it.... and that pretty much solved everything, since i didnt want a bad taste in my mouth every single day just because i wanted to get a part of my finger in my stomach....\ni think they sell that kind of nail polish at every drug store (CVS, Rite-aid.... etc) and you can ask them for it if you can't find it, cuz believe me, they WILL have it.\nif that doesn't work, another way that one of my friends (an excessive nail-biter also) solved this issue was to keep a fabric-covered hair elastic on her wrist, and whenever she involuntarily brought her nails to her teeth, she would sinap the elastic so that the slight physical pain would bring her back to reality and stop her from taking another bite. \nif you don't want to go that way, you could do it all in your head..... buy yourself a reward if you get through a month without biting your nails, another month, another reward... but that IS a little immature, and it's sorta the way a mother would train a little child, so i wouldn't suggest that.\nyou could also get your nails professionaly-painted, so prettily thaty your friend would NEVER wanna bite her nails again...\nother suggestions may be to:\nwear gloves, but that seems a bit weird, plus, inconvenient\nchew a lot of gum so you don't feel the urge to bite your nails when nervous\n\nhope this helps (for your friend) and that she gets rid of that habit!\nonce you stop biting your nails, you look back and think "why did I EVER do that?"\n\ngood luck!
946202
i quit using patches my husband quit using the gum and my sister quit using  hypnosis...good luck and keep trying
1187801
This friend of yours is not a good person. She is definitely simply leeching out favours from others. Just leave her, don't talk to her. She'll definitely come back for more assurance. I think she needs some counseling.
1156418
There are cosmetic products for this kind of nail problems. I have so many people with the same problem around me. Most of them use AVON products for their problems. I hope this can help.
157008
Accept her as she is. Nagging or pointing it out to her will not help her. It will actually make her crave eating more. Plus run down her self esteem. Believe me, a person who is over weight knows they are. Until she can come to terms with what is the root of her eating, and when she and only she decides it is time to change will she be able to do so.
269673
Various Options:\n\n1) Use hot sauce, bitter stuff and/or nail polish on her fingers\n2) Play the vanity card by telling her she is so pretty except for her ugly nails\n2) Take her to a psychologist to find out why she is so nervous to begin with\n3) Downright blackmail her by saying if she does not stop you'll leave her (and then hold on to your heart and hope she doesn't leave you)\n4) And finally, if nothing worked just do as "moreacidthan..." recommended   :-)
94665
the reson why you do is because you must be nervus about somthing and i only know three ways to stop,one way is to think you dont have nails, the second way is dont look/ put them by your face, and the third way is tape over your fingers \nand you can chew them.
882495
She has a problem that needs to be addressed with a lot of sensitivity and caring.  As much as it bothers you to see her with a yucky mouth and wiffy breath, it will just hurt her if you attack her for it.  I don't know about her past but I know for myself, I grew up in a family that neglected to teach me the proper routine of hygene.  And a lifetime of problem can not be fixed overnight.  She needs to relearn an entire new daily routine which could take months and months of dedication and effort which she has to want to do.  So unless she is willing to change and has the (non condeming) daily support of a friend who loves her, she may not change.  Please just love her as she is, and give her the time she needs.
677349
Hello my fellow nail biter! \n\nFrom one nail biter to the other let me just say I feel your frustration :P But recently I found that haven't been biting my nails as much, which is an extreme improvment for me. What I did was I just didn't do it, I said to myself I'm not going to bite anymore and everytime my nails came to my mouth I was conscious of it and I just pulled them away. An excellent thing to do is to occupy yourself with something else, take up another hobby and it'll replace your nail biting...I thought it was ridiculous but it actually works. It doesn't come quickly though, it takes a bit of time. Just be patient and one day you'll look at your nails and go all wide eyed and just go "OMG THEY ACTUALLY DO GROW!!" :P Gewd luck!
625192
Oh that hurts , my friend has the psoriasis of the skin and  bones , and she has the same thing happen to her nails but I heave never ever seen her like cut it or anything like that . Why don't you go to your DR. and see what the best thing would be . Just because it is painful.
824605
rhinitis medicamentosa, your friend needs to be seen by a doctor, needs intranasal steroids, eventually this addiction can be treated, good luck
133232
She definately needs professional help, but there are things that you can do now.  You can be there to listen to her.  It may be tempting to demand her to stop immediately, but this approach will most likely alienate her.  She knows she needs to stop, so telling her what she already knows is useless.  often, just knowing they have someone who cares enough to listen eases a lot of their pain.\n\nYou might try to help her to understand why she feels she has to cut herself.  Does it make her feel better?  Does she feel like she deserves it?  What is she thinking when she cuts herself?  The cutter usually uses physical pain to alleviate emotional pain.  Also keep in mind that there may be other underlying problems or mental disorders (such as bipolar, obsessive compuslive, depression, or even eating disorders) that are causing her to do this.  In those cases, simply talking with her will not solve anything.  \n\nIf you are a young person, you need to make sure you get help.  Try as hard as you can to get her to confide in a trusted adult, preferably her parents unless circumstances wouldn't permit it.  Cutting can become life-threatening, even if the person is not sucidal, so it is important to get her to a professional immediately.\n\nThere are also books out there that may be able to help her.  Go to your local library or search online.  If your friend is religious, you might refer her to her local pastor or priest.  Recently, Jehovah's Witnesses had articles about this type of self-cutting in the January and Febuary Awake Magazine.  You can look up "Jehovah's Witnesses" in the phonebook and call for someone to drop off the magazines free of charge.  Getting something in her hand that she can read may be what she needs to motivate her to get help.\n\nWhatever you decide to do, please get help for her, but also make sure that you get help as well.\n\nP.S. If you are not in a romantic relationship with her, be supportive and positive, but becareful about saying too many "lovey" things to her.  Since she is in a very emotional state, she could very easily begin to thik of you as more than a friend.  The last thing you both need is to have her fall in love with you, then become more depressed when you do not return the feelings.  If you do have some feelings for her, please wait for her to get help before pursuing any type of relationship.  Carefully consider whether you are mature enough to understand all that is involved with loving someone in her condition.  Again, getting trusted adults involved will be a safegaurd to you and help to protect both of your feelings during this very sensitive time.
560476
dont know why you can't stop.  but you can try to stop perhaps if you think of all the people that touch the things that you touch before you touch them. and how people could have just wiped their butts, picked their nose, picked up their dogs poo, had sex, scratched their butt, held their willie to pee, cleaned a litter box, grabbed some rotten food, took out the trash, or changed a tampon and didn't wash their hands and so after you touch what they just touched, you have all that nastiness on your hands and when you bite your nails, you are putting all those germs in your mouth.  hope that helps.  the gross factor made me quit biting instantly.  good luck.
818828
I, too have drifted away from friends I know since childhood. The best thing to do is have a peer mediation. Sounds totally, dorky, right?  Talk to her privately, so no one get embarrassed and tell her your honest feelings. i know it may be hard at first, but trust me, once you get going, it'll be easier. Set up some rules, like no interruptions, and let her talk. Tell her she's been hurting you, and that she's too bossy! don't raise your voice or tell her you hate her though. =P LET HER TALK TOO! Maybe she's been going through something. when my friends and I did this, I let them talk also. WE all ended on the floor bawling, but it was GOOD. I felt...RELIEVED. My friends and I are A LOT happier, and now, we know to talk BEFORE we blow up. Let her say what she needs too, but IF SHE starts getting aggressive, or rude-WALK AWAY. You don't deserve that. Maybe your friendship can be salvaged, most likely no, but at least you won't end the friendship on bad terms. Tell her that this is what's best for both of you, and you know longer desire her he company. Be the better person and walk away if things get ugly.\nGod bless, hun!
157710
Biting your nails is a nervous bad habit.  Try polishing your nails to make them more noticible to you before they reach your mouth.  Replace this bad habit with a good one.  For example, chewing on celery, baby carrots, or sugar-free gum.  Try keeping your hands busy with something you find relaxing, like drawing or knitting.  Exercise is the best way to get rid of nervous energy: swim, ride a bike, walk briskly, dance, skate, ski.  Share some time with a friend.  You CAN do it! Best to you.
904338
There is something you can buy to stop you biting your nails, it is a bit like nail varnish but not quite, it tastes absolutely disgusting so you stop biting. As for picking scabs, will power. Say something like, right if i don't pick them for a week i'll buy something like a CD or something like that. incentives usually do the trick.
821300
you know i have the same problem with my 4 year old.  he chews them way down and is ruining his nails.  you can try this stuff its called thum, you can usually get it at any pharmacy, just ask for it.  you put it on his nails and its supposed to taste really nasty and they stop doing it, or if your child is like mine he will do it anyway.  i also heard you can use vinegar.  i tried that also but my son claimed it was delicious. lol  ive heard of people using cayenne pepper, black pepper or hot sauce.  good luck with it.