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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 18 of 18. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by hitman60 on September 15, 2008, at 14:13:25
I am not depressed or anxious but I tend to bite my nails down to the cuticle---ouch.
I have tried the stuff you paint on your nails with the yukky taste, and even wore gloves to stop from biting. But nothing works. Do any current medications help with this? And what about hypnotism?
Posted by Merge on September 15, 2008, at 17:38:58
In reply to Medication for nail biting, posted by hitman60 on September 15, 2008, at 14:13:25
Unless your nail biting is a compulsion and caused by OCD (which I admittedly know very little about, other than it can sometimes be treated with medication), I do not feel that this is the right forum for you. Perhaps others feel differently.
Posted by hitman60 on September 15, 2008, at 17:47:22
In reply to Re: Medication for nail biting, posted by Merge on September 15, 2008, at 17:38:58
Well, Merge, I beg to differ with you. This may be precisely the right forum for me. My query is about psychotropic medications and if any are appropriate for compulsions such as nail biting. Sounds like you are a little quick to judge ole friend...Sounds like you should probably up your dose!
Posted by linkadge on September 15, 2008, at 18:37:13
In reply to Re: Medication for nail biting, posted by hitman60 on September 15, 2008, at 17:47:22
I would actually contend with merge. I don't recomend powerful psychotropic medicaitons for bad hair days.
Linkadge
Posted by llurpsienoodle on September 15, 2008, at 18:37:30
In reply to Medication for nail biting, posted by hitman60 on September 15, 2008, at 14:13:25
hitman,
I was just doing some research on this stuff. I have a whole spectrum of compulsive activities, like skin-picking, cuticle picking, etc.Some folks have placed these behaviors on the OCD (obsessive-compulsive disorder) spectrum, and currently some SSRI's are indicated. Paxil being one of them that I remember off the top of my head.
Like any SSRI treatment, it takes weeks to kick in, and may not even work. I take zoloft (and wellbutrin and lamictal --BPII), and it hasn't been helping.
Mine comes and goes. I stopped biting the nails 10 years ago, when I had this devastating crush on a guy and wanted to avoid feeling disgusted with myself.
The other ones have been harder to kick.
Ointments, gloves, etc.
you know the drill. There are some cognitive behavior, and habit replacement therapies out there too. (homework, ugh)
you're not alone...-Ll
Posted by bleauberry on September 15, 2008, at 19:34:13
In reply to Medication for nail biting, posted by hitman60 on September 15, 2008, at 14:13:25
Buy the hottest red peppers you can find. Hot. Real hot. Taste it. Not hot enough to make you cry, go online and search for the world's hottest. Order some. Crush them up, make a paste, dip your fingers in it. Do not touch your eyes ever. I do not think you will be able to bite your nails. The only way this will fail is if you refuse to take your medicine, that is, dip the fingers in the paste, or if the paste is not hot enough. There are peppers that are so intensely hot they can only be tolerated by even the toughest of the tough by being highly diluted in food.
Again though, you gotta keep those fingers away from your eyes, nose, and when you go to the bathroom. No treatment is free of side effects. As long as you keep the hot fingers away from important bodily parts, you won't have any side effects.
The hard part will be the withdrawals. You are going to really want to chop down on those nails and you just won't be able to. That is going to be agonizing for a while. You'll get over it.
:)
Seriously. Hot pepper paste.
> I am not depressed or anxious but I tend to bite my nails down to the cuticle---ouch.
> I have tried the stuff you paint on your nails with the yukky taste, and even wore gloves to stop from biting. But nothing works. Do any current medications help with this? And what about hypnotism?
Posted by Merge on September 15, 2008, at 19:59:05
In reply to Re: Medication for nail biting, posted by hitman60 on September 15, 2008, at 17:47:22
Thanks for the suggestion. I really appreciate the mature response to my post.
> Well, Merge, I beg to differ with you. This may be precisely the right forum for me. My query is about psychotropic medications and if any are appropriate for compulsions such as nail biting. Sounds like you are a little quick to judge ole friend...Sounds like you should probably up your dose!
Posted by Phillipa on September 15, 2008, at 20:34:02
In reply to Re: Medication for nail biting, posted by Merge on September 15, 2008, at 19:59:05
I pick my cuticles incessantly and it's disgusting and an anxiety reflex for me and my benzos no longer work. Maybe one at a low dose will stop it or low dose luvox. That's if you chose to go the medication route but if not depressed or anxious why set yourself up to me. You're really lucky. If a female get a great manicure maybe that will deter you. I know when working I didn't do this and got many comliments on my great fingernails. Love Phillipa and welcome if new to babble.
Posted by med_empowered on September 15, 2008, at 22:45:30
In reply to Re: Medication for nail biting, posted by Phillipa on September 15, 2008, at 20:34:02
There's not really an anti-bad habit medication. You can take antidepressants to make yourself less anxious/more apathetic, benzos to relax you, antipsychotics to make you care less, or stimulants to help yourself focus on tasks at hand, but...there's really no medical antidote for the (seemingly mild) problem you're dealing with.
Posted by Deputy 10derHeart on September 16, 2008, at 4:04:20
In reply to Re: Medication for nail biting, posted by hitman60 on September 15, 2008, at 17:47:22
> you are a little quick to judge ole friend...Sounds like you should probably up your dose!
>I do not feel that this is the right forum for you.
>I really appreciate the mature response to my post.>medicaitons for bad hair days
Please don't post anything that could lead others to feel accused or put down, be sarcastic or jump to conclusions about others. Please respect the feelings and issues raised by others, even if you disagree or view their issues differently.
If you or others have questions about this or about posting policies in general, or are interested in alternative ways of expressing yourself, please see the FAQ: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/faq.html#civil
Follow-ups regarding these issues should be directed to Psycho-Babble Admin and should of course be civil. Dr. Bob has oversight over deputy decisions, and he may choose a different action.
-- 10derHeart, acting as deputy for Dr. Bob
Posted by Polarbear206 on September 16, 2008, at 10:27:00
In reply to Medication for nail biting, posted by hitman60 on September 15, 2008, at 14:13:25
> I am not depressed or anxious but I tend to bite my nails down to the cuticle---ouch.
> I have tried the stuff you paint on your nails with the yukky taste, and even wore gloves to stop from biting. But nothing works. Do any current medications help with this? And what about hypnotism?
I would first suggest you try behavior modification therapy before going the medication route. Google therapy for bitting nails and you should find some info for stimulus control therapy too.
Posted by rskontos on September 16, 2008, at 12:18:03
In reply to Re: Medication for nail biting, posted by Polarbear206 on September 16, 2008, at 10:27:00
I have bitten my nails all my life and I have anxiety issues including panic attacks. So I do think that you can be nail bitter and it not just be a lack of self control issue. It can be part of a mental disorder. I have stopped it so much with the help of benzos for my panic attacks and the general anxiety i have experienced so much. i hate to go out in public as well. but then I have other nervous habits that is from anxiety. Could this be part of your problem, anxiety?
It has taken me a long time to learn to recognize my anxiety for it is. I had to see a p-doc and with his help and therapy learn that I was having panic attacks.
(I also now have manicures so I am accountable for my hands to a manicurist. It helps having her see my hands so often. I have a standing appt. so I won't cancel on her.
These are ways I have helped control my problem. There are probably many more.
rsk
Posted by rskontos on September 16, 2008, at 12:19:43
In reply to Re: Medication for nail biting » Polarbear206, posted by rskontos on September 16, 2008, at 12:18:03
Posted by hitman60 on September 16, 2008, at 12:55:41
In reply to Re: Medication for nail biting » Polarbear206, posted by rskontos on September 16, 2008, at 12:18:03
Thanks, I appreciate the insight. I too have anxiety disorder GAD, but no longer take benzos.
I ended up here after too long on Klonopin. :)> I have been benzo free now for 3 months, and feel better off them than on them, but yes the anxiety is still there.
I bit my nails on them and off, but I do see a more severe response off of benzos. I guess I have never been able to make the connection of anxiety to nail biting--makes sense though.I like the manicure suggestion--I guess I have to just make it a priority. This may be a first step, since I have not really cared about my nails until now.
Posted by Phillipa on September 16, 2008, at 18:44:10
In reply to Re: Medication for nail biting, posted by hitman60 on September 16, 2008, at 12:55:41
Hitman lucky you would also like to be benzo free you did it and should be proud. Let us know how the manicures work out. Love Phillipa
Posted by Dr. Bob on September 16, 2008, at 21:13:46
In reply to Please be civil»hitman60 »Merge»linkadge, posted by Deputy 10derHeart on September 16, 2008, at 4:04:20
> Follow-ups regarding these issues should be directed to Psycho-Babble Admin
Here's a link:
http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/admin/20080719/msgs/852377.html
Thanks,
Bob
Posted by elanor roosevelt on September 18, 2008, at 0:42:51
In reply to Medication for nail biting, posted by hitman60 on September 15, 2008, at 14:13:25
many meds trigger SE's like nail biting for me
i tape my nails at night
Posted by yxibow on September 18, 2008, at 5:54:21
In reply to i dont think you need meds, posted by med_empowered on September 15, 2008, at 22:45:30
> There's not really an anti-bad habit medication. You can take antidepressants to make yourself less anxious/more apathetic, benzos to relax you, antipsychotics to make you care less, or stimulants to help yourself focus on tasks at hand, but...there's really no medical antidote for the (seemingly mild) problem you're dealing with.
I would agree with this with a caveat -- if we are talking about biting nails down to a bleeding point, then it could fall into the category of trichotillomania or OCD, but nail biting is a response to anxiety and not every anxiety symptom needs to be treated with a psychotropic.
Every psychotropic will have its side effect -- and that is just as concerning. Does the benefit outweigh the risks ?
I think a more behavioural or psychodynamic/psychological approach to anxiety is better, especially since you have noted that you are no longer on benzodiazepines, which taken indefinitely, can (as I know personally) cause memory problems. That doesn't mean I'm a benzophobe, when the calling is needed, they are safe as directed.
With regards to the anti-bad habit comment, I would concur, partially -- after all, smoking can ultimately lead to a premature death, so patches and buproprion and other methods are so needed for the population that desperately wants to quit.
The same can be commented on for alcoholism, I don't need to go into all the ins and outs, because I'm not familiar with all the treatments.
But, and there were previous warnings, I'm not trying to be flippant, but a pill will not prevent you from tapping your hands at your cubicle and annoying your coworkers. Sometimes its hard work in progressive behavioural therapy.
-- best wishesJay
This is the end of the thread.
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