One of the most difficult parts of nail biting is feeling alone in the struggle. Often it seems too embarrassing or irrelevant to bring up to friends and family, and those who do know about your struggle can have a "Why don't you just stop it?" stance. A strong support system is hard to develop because it is a habit no one tends to talk about. And unless you've had a history of nail biting, or know someone who has, the struggle of the habit is often misunderstood and its seriousness underestimated.
To kick-off #NoBiteNovember we wanted to share 5 great resources we've found that we think will help in the journey to nail health. Keep these links on hand as you make your way through a November of no biting!
1. This How Stuff Works article, Top 10 Ways to Prevent Nail Biting, is very complete, and focuses on building a support system which we agree is key. It's rather long, and has a lot of click-through pages, but stick it out as it gives some great advice and inspiration.
2. The subreddit, /r/calmhands, is a wonderful, supportive community. Ask questions, start a conversation, and if you're brave, post a photo of your #NoBiteNovember progress!
3. 10 Steps to Quit Even the Worst Nail Biting Habit Once and For All provides a great amount of nail care tips for proper nail health and adds a bit of pop with nail polishes. It's a fun and helpful read!
4. American Academy of Dermatology is a straight-forward, medically-based resource that goes right to the facts. They even have an explanatory video (trigger warning: the first minute or so does show some rough cases of nail biting).
5. Nail Quail's Nail Biting Info. Yes, we're mentioning ourselves, but we truly believe we have compiled some great info on nail biting, through the perspective and experience of a reformed nail biter. We especially like the "Techniques for Nail Love" section!
And of course we'd like to use Nail Quail's blog as a support system itself. Continue to visit this blog for encouragement, inspiration, and helpful tips on how to break your, or a loved one's, nail biting habit.
Remember, #NoBiteNovember starts today, where we encourage nail biters to make a promise to themselves to not bite their nails, skin, or cuticles for the month of November. Use the coupon code NoBiteNov to get 10% off your purchase of Nail Quail's Strong Will, to help you in the path to nail re-growth.
Let 'em grow!