You Can Use Self-Hypnosis To Break The Nail Biting Habit

Nail biting is related to skin picking and hair pulling. Skin picking, hair pulling and nail biting are labeled as Obsessive-Compulsive Disorders. Nail biters often hide their hands behind their backs. Nail biters often feel social embarrassment and experience out-of-control feelings at times. They often wonder why they cannot stop and they often question whether or not they are sane.

Nail biting often happens when people are in one of two modes. Some nail biters do it in an automatic way, as if they are in some kind of altered state and not really thinking about what they are doing. Usually they are immersed in some other activity at the same time such as talking on the phone or watching TV, etc. For others, their main activity at the time is the actual picking or biting, and they will often interrupt their other activities to engage in it.

There is also a strong commonality in the various purposes behind these three problems (skin picking, hair pulling and nail biting). At a very basic level, they satisfy an urge. Many people report an uncontrollable urge to do them. Biting, picking or pulling also seems to deliver a pleasurable or relaxed sensation.

When sufferers feel stressed, pulling, picking or biting has a kind of soothing effect on their nervous systems and reduces levels of stimulation. On the other hand, when they are bored or inactive, they seem to provide a needed level of stimulation to the nervous system. This may account for why so many people who have these habits find it so hard to give up these behaviors. It simply "feels good" at the time no matter no matter what the outcomes are.

Even if you suffer from more than one of these habits, don't give up on yourself. These behaviors can be overcome if you have the motivation. More important is learning to "de-stigmatize" yourself. You are not crazy, helpless, morally weak or totally out of control, even though you may feel like it at times. Once you realize that you are just a person who simply happens to have a bad habit, you can start to make some serious progress.

Skin picking and nail biting are chronic problems, so there currently isn't a "cure" but you can find a recovery if you are willing to work at it. Hypnotherapy for nail biting consists of three parts.

Hypnotherapy & NLP For People Who Bite Their Nails

First off, nail biting is a nervous habit. So the first part of the hypnotic therapy is to teach the individual how to be more relaxed at all times. To that end, I believe that traditional hypnosis, Ericksonian hypnosis, and Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP) techniques are very often effective. That's because the very essence of hypnosis is relaxation. The sufferer can learn to apply several different methods to increase both the relaxed state, as well as his/her overall feeling of relaxation and well-being.

The second part teaches the individual awareness of this unconscious habit. Suggestions can be given to the subconscious mind to make the consciousness aware that you are bringing your hand towards your mouth for the purpose of biting your nails. Then you get to consciously decide whether or not you are actually going to bite them.

There are also several other much more effective hypnosis and NLP techniques. As an example, we can help the client to set up an "Anchor" or trigger so that he/she can momentarily mentally step outside of him/herself. This is an effective technique that will effectively relieve the urge.

The third part of the hypnotherapy is to eliminate the compulsion to nail bite. There are Neuro-Linguistic Programming techniques that actually program the client with a compulsion to not bite his/her nails.

With the biting compulsion, being realistic is very important. First off, you have probably practiced the unwanted habit thousands of times. You must accept that the urge to bite your nails will not simply be overcome in a few weeks.

Secondly, you are fighting the fact that it feels good to do, and it provides much short-range satisfaction and either stimulation or soothing feelings. It can take a little time to master, but I believe it is worth it. My experience has shown a number of techniques to be quite effective!

Nail biting can be annoying. Some nail biters are not aware that they are biting their nails until afterwards. Some fingernail biters are fully aware, as though it is a part of a ritual. This document takes a look at this habit and how to go about reducing or eliminating it.

Alan B. Densky, CH is a certified hypnotist specializing in stress related symptoms. He offers NLP CDs which eradicate the nail biting compulsion. Reach him at his Neuro-VISION Self Hypnosis self development site. Visit his FREE hypnosis article library, or download his MP3s. http://www.neuro-vision.us/Hypnosis-Article-Index.html

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