# Tips on how to kick a nail biting habit?



## Mr-Jemhead93 (May 23, 2013)

I want to pick up classical guitar to expand my playing but I have a habit of biting my finger nails and I know they play a big role in playing classical guitar. Would any of you have any advice on the situation? I've already tried dipping my fingers in garlic and assortments of peppers but that didn't keep me from chomping on them haha


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## Exit Existence (May 24, 2013)

stop putting your fingers in your mouth and you wont bite them


lol but really you are f#$ked. Been there, done that, failed every time. Gave up on classical. Good luck though!


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## Exit Existence (May 24, 2013)

On the optimistic side, you can still get decent tone without nails for most situations although it is a lot more difficult to play. If you have a teacher, they will be pissed but oh well.

Also, just change the menu to left hand only.


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## ittoa666 (May 24, 2013)

Willpower! That's what I've been trying not to do, and it works. Just think about the negatives of doing it when you go to bite your nails.


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## erotophonophilia (May 24, 2013)

Put clear nail polish on the tip of your fingernail. I doubt you'll like the taste or the smell.


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## Winspear (May 24, 2013)

erotophonophilia said:


> Put clear nail polish on the tip of your fingernail. I doubt you'll like the taste or the smell.



I was going to suggest something similar, but instead nail polish _remover_. When I was 14 or so I was a goth kid painting my nails black haha - sometimes I'd instinctively go to chew them after cleaning it off and the taste was disgusting. That taste stays for long time.


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## erotophonophilia (May 24, 2013)

EtherealEntity said:


> I was going to suggest something similar, but instead nail polish _remover_. When I was 14 or so I was a goth kid painting my nails black haha - sometimes I'd instinctively go to chew them after cleaning it off and the taste was disgusting. That taste stays for long time.



She doesn't seem to think so. And brushes her teeth with acetone.


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## yingmin (May 24, 2013)

I started keeping a nail clipper on my keychain to stop nail biting, but that only lets me keep my nails short; it's not very helpful if I want to grow my nails out. However, I don't feel that nails are essential for playing classical guitar.


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## Mr-Jemhead93 (May 24, 2013)

Hmm thanks everybody! I think I'm going to try nail polish remover


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## Given To Fly (May 24, 2013)

Wear gloves all the time...seriously. Classical guitarists are allowed to be crazy when it comes to their nails.


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## PrestigeFan92 (May 25, 2013)

Habanero pepper, crushed, and up under the finger nails. Do it once, and youll never bite again.


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## Mr-Jemhead93 (May 25, 2013)

PrestigeFan92 said:


> Habanero pepper, crushed, and up under the finger nails. Do it once, and youll never bite again.



I've tried the peppers thing before but I don't think it was a habanero pepper, I'm actually very tolerant to spicy foods I think that's why it didn't work. I'm Mexican so I grew up slathering everything in salsa haha


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## Overtone (May 25, 2013)

There is a concept called the habit loop. The idea is that something stimulates a craving, you do the activity, and then there is a reward. So for example you finish eating, so you want a cig, so you smoke, so your body gets nicotine. Trigger -> activity -> reward. The reward isn't really a "reward" so much as your brain getting some kind of satisfaction. With this concept they say the key is to identify the triggers, and replace the activity. So for example if you are trying to quit cigarettes, it'll be more effective if after you finish a meal, you have a coffee or a small piece of chocolate or something so your craving gets a reward even though it is through a different activity. 

What sucks is that the main example the book in which I was reading about this gave was about nail biting, but I can't remember shit about what the triggers were and how it was dealt with. I think the person kept a log of every time they bit their nails and what they were doing leading up to that, and they identified a wide range of situations that were stress related, and they started to chew on a toothpick or something. That's the general idea... good luck!


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## Argo (May 26, 2013)

I actually had this same sort of problem a few years ago when I wanted to start playing classical. As silly as this sounds it just takes focus! Also if you're maintaining them with a file and sandpaper you really don't want to mess up you're work. 

Just keep reminding yourself to not do it. And even though you might slip up and bight some off, it'll grow back


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## mniel8195 (May 26, 2013)

start smoking


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## vansinn (May 26, 2013)

Nail bitings often is a result of something not being addressed in ones life.
Looking into personal self development stuff, in order to find out what it is can be helpful.

Not saying it cannot simply be a result of pure bad habit 

I once upon a time had this habit of muscle pinches, dragging left side of my mouth/throat downwards, while twitching my eyes like in a nervous disorder syndrome.
Mostly a bad habit, though I did have some issues to get over.
I simply decided to pay attention to those phenomina, and reprogram myself to fight the urge/habit.

The "start smoking" suggestion was hopefully intended as a mere lame joke..


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## Mr-Jemhead93 (May 26, 2013)

I'm currently on day 2 of not biting my nails this is harder than I thought. I still haven't put anything on my nails to prevent me from biting them. I'm going to go with the whole willpower thing for now and if that starts to slip ill just dip my fingers in acetone or something lol


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## fretninjadave (May 26, 2013)

Start wiping with no toilet paper. You're welcome.


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## Exit Existence (May 27, 2013)

keep at it, once they get a little longer it will be easier to realize you are about to chow down and stop.


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## Suho (Jun 4, 2013)

I bit my nails as a kid, but kicked it a long time ago. I think I did it through willpower and having a nailclipper nearby, which allowed me to clip them down before I could bite them and gradually I just stopped doing it. 

You may have to focus on kicking the biting before getting to the point where you can grow your nails out, if that makes sense.


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## rikomaru (Jun 4, 2013)

The way i did it was by stating clearly to myself that this was for the sake of guitar, and always having an emery board or two with me. You can't bite your nails if you're always too busy taking care of them. I'll readily admit that i got some 'wtf' stares as a man obssessed with his nails, but i'm a bit off center anyway and even more so when it comes to guitar so it didn't bother me....ESPECIALLY when i was able to see progress. If you want support, find someone else who's serious about guitar so you can show off your progress to them and hear them say "cool!!". It really does help. 

edit: guess i should've read all the posts before posting the same tactics. Maybe this shows that it really does work for multiple people though? (*~*)


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## whilstmyguitardjentlyweep (Jun 4, 2013)

there are products that can help, like this, 
Boots Salon Nail Biting Solution - Boots
i am sure there is an american version, someone i work with just kicked her habit using this in only one month, troof


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## Mr-Jemhead93 (Jun 12, 2013)

Damn I had it going for 2 weeks then I fell into it again I think I'm going to buy some of that solution now


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## bondmorkret (Jun 12, 2013)

Tie your hands behind your back?


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## rikomaru (Jun 14, 2013)

Mr-Jemhead93 said:


> Damn I had it going for 2 weeks then I fell into it again I think I'm going to buy some of that solution now


 
noooooooooooooooooooooo D:<


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## linguos (Jun 14, 2013)

I have the same problem but when I'm desperate clear nail polish does indeed work like a charm. Seriously.


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## ElRay (Jun 14, 2013)

I have a happy compromise. I don't bite the nails on my picking hand. My fretting hand often gets chewed to the nubs.

On a more serious note, when I'm "good", I have to keep my nails the right length and filed. If I let them get too long, or rough edges, then the temptation to bit them arrises.

It takes time, and you have to have nail files handy, but you can do that when watching TV.

Ray


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## strungout (Jun 18, 2013)

I used to bite my nails when I was a kid... even my toe nails when they bothered me 
I stopped cause I always ended up tearing the 'pink' part (where the nail is connected to the skin under it and it hurt like hell. I did it because they felt jagged and I was 'fixing' it, which admitedly just worsen the problem. I still 'plane' the tips with my front teeth sometimes, but I bought a good, big, steel nail clipper from the women's manucure section at the drugstore, not those cheap chromed ones that can barely cut a piece of paper. Though I've switched to scrapping off the cuticule (the skin at the root of the nail) and the skin around the nail with my teeth... still because they feel jagged and rough, still stupid cause it makes it worse and thickens the skin... I need to get the right tool.

Point is, you really do have to identify why you're doing it and what you're thinking/feeling before and while you're at it. 

And remember, the only failure is to stop trying to stop!


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## Ericjutsu (Apr 6, 2014)

I can't have nails due to my job in the medical field which kinda sucks since I like classical guitar. Any of you guys just play it without having long nails?


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## Mr. Big Noodles (Apr 8, 2014)

Become a plumber.


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## InfinityCollision (Apr 8, 2014)

Ericjutsu said:


> I can't have nails due to my job in the medical field which kinda sucks since I like classical guitar. Any of you guys just play it without having long nails?



I tried it for a while, found I prefer having nails, but it's not unheard of. Tarrega is the usual example since he popularized it. There's a learning curve, your fingertips have to develop a bit, and rasgueado will always be a bit weird, but it's very doable.

Saw nail polish mentioned a few times, don't really recommend that unless you intend to commit to using nail hardeners or fake nails as it'll really do a number on your nails over time. There are creams that strengthen your nails and a lot of them have strong odors, might be a decent substitute.


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## Omura (May 18, 2014)

Think of it like sucking your thumb, it's something only little kids and babies do. That thought alone should be enough to stop you doing it, you know it's bad for you, and you don't want to do it. So put some conscious effort in and you'll be able to stop. That might sound harsh but it's true, it's how I stopped chewing my nails when I was 6 or 7, I realised how childish it was to do so.


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