Nail Biting – A Dreadful Habit You Can Break With Hypnosis Article

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Nail Biting – A Dreadful Habit You Can Break With Hypnosis

Biting your nails can be a particularly annoying behavior. Some people who bite their nails are not aware that they are biting their nails until afterwards. Some biters are fully aware, as though it is a part of a ritual. This document looks at this habit and how to go about eliminating it.

Author: Alan B. Densky Ch

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Nail biting is related to skin picking and hair pulling. Skin picking, hair pulling and nail biting are labeled as Obsessive-Compulsive Disorders or OCD. Nail biters often keep their hands hidden in their pockets. Nail biters often feel shame and social embarrassment and experience out-of-control feelings at times. Sometimes they wonder why they are not able to stop and they may question whether or not they are crazy.

Biting usually happens when people are in one of two modes. Some do it in an automatic way, as if they are in some kind of altered state and not thinking about what they are doing. Usually they are involved 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 frequently interrupt other activities to engage in it.

There is also a strong commonality in the various purposes behind hair pulling, skin picking and nail biting. At a very basic level, they satisfy an urge. Many report an almost uncontrollable feeling of needing to do them. Pulling, picking or biting also seems to deliver a pleasurable or relaxed sensation.

When sufferers feel stressed, doing these things has a kind of soothing effect on them 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 probably accounts for why so many people who suffer from these habits find it so hard to give them up. It simply "feels good" at the time no matter what.

Even if you have more than one of these problems, don't despair. These symptoms can be overcome if you have enough 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 problem, you can start to make some serious progress.

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

Hypnotherapy & NLP For People Who Bite Their Nails

To start with, nail biting is a nervous habit. So the first part of the hypnotic therapy is to teach the nail biter how to be more relaxed at all times. To that end, I have found that traditional hypnosis, Ericksonian hypnosis, and NLP techniques are very often effective. That's because the very essence of hypnosis is relaxation. The individual can learn to apply several different methods to enhance both the relaxed state, as well as his/her overall feeling of well-being.

The second part teaches the individual awareness of this unconscious habit. Suggestions are generally given to the unconscious 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 several other powerful hypnosis and NLP techniques. For example, we can help the client to set up an "Anchor" or trigger so that he/she can momentarily disassociate. This is an effective technique that will effectively relieve the compulsion.

The third part of the therapy is to eliminate the compulsion to bite. There are hypnotic and NLP techniques that actually program the client with a compulsion to reject biting his/her nails.

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

Secondly, you are fighting the fact that it feels good to do, and it offers short-term satisfaction and either stimulation or soothing feelings. It can take a little time to master, but it will be well worth the effort. Experience has shown a number of techniques to be extremely effective!

About Author

Alan B. Densky, CH is a certified hypnotist specializing in stress related symptoms. He offers Hypnotherapy & NLP CDs that eradicate the nail biting compulsion. Contact him at his Neuro-VISION Self Hypnosis website. Visit his FREE hypnosis article collection, or download his MP3s.
http://www.neuro-vision.us/Products/AudioNailBitingHypnosisTapes.htm

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