There’s usually an underlying cause for biting fingernails. Several homeopathic remedies can reduce and eliminate what can become a daily habit. It’s what you do when you’re nervous or bored, a comfort that keeps your body busy and calms your mind, a sort of compulsive obsession. Something initiates it, encourages it, perhaps a stress.
While patients come to my practice with more serious concerns, their nail biting helps steer me toward remedies that address the big picture. I look for how they express themselves and how they cope when something goes wrong. I start with the emotional imbalance and use the nail-biting to refine remedy choice.
Here’s what I mean (all these patients used to bite their nails):
Sad, depressed patients who keep everything in, cry alone and are worse for consolation have done well on Nat mur.
Anxious, hurried people who are moody and restless, have trouble concentrating and benefit from a good cry need Medorrhinum.
People who big themselves up – but feel small underneath – reduce nail biting with Lycopodium. They often suffer digestive disorders.
If nails are damaged and break easily, are perhaps yellow with ulcers around them, Silica is the best nail nutrient. This can be taken over a long period of time in a biochemical form as a low-potency cell salt.
Anxious, restless patients who are worried about their health, those who are tidy and self-critical are better balanced with Arsenicum album. They are often stubborn and angry.
Get in touch to tell me about your nails and how biting them keeps you calm.