INTRODUCTION
You find yourself in a stressful situation, and the first thing you do to cope is start biting your nails. It appears to be a harmless habit; after all, many people chew on their nails when trying to figure out how to get out of a sticky situation. But what if you've started biting not only your nails but also the skin around them? Is this an indication that you have a bigger problem on your hands?
WHAT EXACTLY IS DERMATOPHAGIA?
Dermatophagia sufferers are known as 'wolf biters' in medical jargon, and doctors believe it is linked to OCD.
Worryingly, for DERMATOPHAGIA patients, nail biting becomes an obsession, resulting in compulsive biting until the skin bleeds.
While the bleeding skin is painful, a patient who truly suffers from Dermatophagia feels a sense of accomplishment for succumbing to the compulsion to bite and believes this is the ideal coping mechanism for stress relief. As is obvious, skin biting can result in severe (sometimes permanent) damage, which is why proper diagnosis and prompt intervention are critical.
You can assess your situation by utilising free online therapy before the situation worsens.
ARE YOU EXPERIENCING DERMATOPHAGIA?
When a pair of clippers is not available, there is nothing wrong with biting on a hangnail. It may not be the most sanitary way to deal with that "excess" skin, but that doesn't make you a "wolf bitter."
So, here are the top 5 signs that you may be suffering from Dermatophagia.
SKIN DISCOLORED
You believe that you only bite your nails and surrounding skin in stressful situations. However, stress is a daily occurrence in your line of work. Examine your nails carefully; if the skin around the nail appears discoloured due to constant biting, which causes scars, you should seek medical attention.
SKIN DEFICIENCY
If your fingers look like they belong in a horror film, with excessive skin damage and scarring around the nails, you've gone a little too far with your 'nail biting.'
Scarring around the nails indicates that you have gone a little too far with your 'nail biting.'
WHY DO YOU KEEP BITING YOUR NAILS AND SURROUNDING SKIN SO OFTEN? WHAT ARE YOUR FEELINGS RIGHT NOW? IS THIS SOMETHING YOU DO CONSCIOUSLY TO QUELL ANXIETY, WHICH COULD INDICATE YOU HAVE OCD, OR IS IT SOMETHING YOU DO SUBCONSCIOUSLY WHEN LOST IN DEEP THOUGHT?
BLEEDING
Dermatophagia patients are no strangers to bleeding skin. Everything is fine if you are just a normal person who was gnawing at an annoying hangnail but managed to nip the skin and ran to get first aid. However, if you constantly bite at your skin and ignore the bleeding wounds just to relieve stress,you need to find help.
HANGNAILS AND CALLUSES
Biting your nails and skin on a regular basis resulted in unsightly calluses on your fingers? If your fingernails are disfigured as a result of obsessive biting and chewing, and you are also prone to skin infections, you have a serious problem. If ignored, this can cause permanent tissue damage.
EXTREME BITING DURING STRESS
Because the calluses and scars on your hands began to embarrass you, you stopped biting your fingernails and surrounding skin. In a stressful situation, however, you have an uncontrollable urge to bite, so you self-bite your lips, inside of your mouth, and cheeks.
Your mouth may bleed, and you are aware that you are causing yourself pain, but you feel compelled to continue, and at the very least, you are relieved that no one but you will ever find out.
If the above five symptoms sound all too familiar, you may have Dermatophagia.
While it isn't difficult to stop biting your nails and surrounding skin with simple deterrents like foul-tasting nail varnish, behavioural therapy, and sometimes even mouth guards, make sure you seek treatment to address the underlying cause of your condition.
DERMATOPHAGIA CAN BE THE CAUSE OF YOUR LOW SELF WORTH, CONFIDENCE, SELF-ESTEEM, AND EMBARRASSMENT.
Together, these aggravate a patient's condition and can wreak havoc on your mental health. What may have started as a minor case of OCD can quickly turn into severe depression, which is why seeking medical help right away is critical.
Disclaimer: This material, including advice, provides general information only for educational purposes. It is in no way a substitute for a qualified medical opinion. Always consult a specialist or your doctor for more details. fittofitter.com does not claim responsibility for this information.
