Many people bite their nails on a daily basis. If this practice tends to damage them it is difficult to explain its reason. We usually say that this is a sign of anxiety, however, the correlation is not always true and many people bite their nails without being anxious or stressed.

Sign of dissatisfaction according to a study

Recently, Canadian researchers have been looking at the causes that lead to nail biting. According to this study, a correlation was put forward. Indeed, the action of biting our nails, and more broadly, repetitive behaviors centered on the body, could have a link with our emotions.

Among these emotions, the fact of biting one’s nails (onychophagia), would have to do with a feeling of dissatisfaction. Specifically, people who always want to do better and seek perfection would be more subject to repetitive behaviors.

However, the conclusion of this study should be put into perspective. Indeed, it is easy to find correlation reports between different data, without the latter being really influenced by each other.

No specific reason

According to several health specialists, onychophagia has no precise explanation. Everyone is going to do it for one reason or another. Finally, this habit can be classified as obsessive-compulsive disorder, more commonly known as OCD. This is how it is categorized by the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. Of course, this may be due to anxiety or boredom, but this is not the only explanation.

At the level of statistics it would seem that this habit is present in both men and women. Similarly, nearly 50% of people between the ages of 10 and 18 would bite their nails in certain situations and for the majority of them, they would continue into adulthood.

We recommend that you use the adequate manicure and pedicure set to take care of your nails before applying any kind of decoration.

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