I think I would like to try hypnosis to help me stop biting my nails. I have eaten my nails, chewed them down to the fingers and it is embarrassing. I feel crazy, because I just can’t stop! Will hypnosis help?
First of all, you are not crazy! Neither are you weak or helpless, even though at times it may feel that way. You are simply a person who happens to have a problem with nail biting. Hypnosis is one of the most common reasons a person will visit my office, after weight management and smoke cessation. The fingers are easily available , so it becomes a matter of habit and ease. Mindlessly an individual will place their hands in their mouth and start chewing away.
The nail biter is aware of the dirt and germs on their hands and under any existing nails and the possibilities of infection. They are embarrassed already having to reach out for a hand shake. So, well meaning friends and family aren’t helping by nagging, anymore than nagging will stop a smoker. In fact, it often leads to more of the same behavior.
Biting usually occurs when the biter is in one of two modes, either an automatic, “mindless” state or else when involved in another activity such as watching the television or at the computer. It seems to be an urge, that allows for a sense of relaxation or else it relieves boredom. Either way, through hypnosis you can “unlearn” the habit of nail biting and find healthy ways of handling the triggers (anything that is a stimulus) that set one to biting in the first place.
So, we work on creating a sense of calm that you can re-create anytime you desire. Next, we work on making you aware of when the urge strikes, so that you are conscious of the habit. Finally, we give you alternative activities to do that will give you a sense of calm or relieve boredom, whichever you find yourself feeling at the moment.
