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Well, i've always had this impulsive habit that consist of biting my nails excessively. Just so you know, yes, on many occasions i have biten/ripped off skin around my fingers and it has led to bleeding. The funny thing is, it's all on impulse, i kinda just do it and then i go "Dammit, shouldn't do that anymore." and whenever i get into other stressfull situations i end up doing it again. My hands and fingers look HARRIBLE due to this and i can't stop myself from doing it no matter how hard i try. Anyways, reguardless of the results of my actions i'd be interested in knowing whether this just a bad habit as opposed to a form of self harm equivalent to cutting myself. My mom tells me it's just a bad habit i'll get rid of as i grow older, but my friend tells me it's the same if not worse than cutting myself. Out of curiosity, what is your opinion on this, is it self harm or a bad habit or something in between? And how do i stop?

Thanks in advance for your opinion on this,

M1ck3y

It's not the same because you're not choosing to do it, you're not choosing to make yourself hurt and bleed. Cutting isn't just about self harming, it's the reasoning behind why you're cutting that makes it what it's known as.

Little white flowers will never awaken you, not when the cold depths have all but overtaken you.

Dearest, The days are all so long,
and in the shadows I spend them all.
My heart and I long for slumber.
Slumber I'm caressing you, I bless your touch, I lust for you.
Slumber you are not a dream, Not as much as you seem.
- Joao <3

Uhm, no? I don't think so at all. Its not like you're doing it to harm yourself, its just to bite your nails. You're friend is in the wrong. If so, most guys cut themselves.

"A toothache, or a violent passion, is not necessarily diminished by our knowledge of its causes, its character, its importance or insignificance".- T.S. Eliot

As my father always said, if you wanna stop biting your nails you gotta make it look disgusting. So I poured salsa on my hands for 24 hours, and by the end of the day my ass would have erupted like a volcano.

Well,sometimes i bite the skin around my nails as well...
I'm not talking about strictly nail biting, i'm talking about biting my fingers (sry for faulty title) as a whole.

Self-harm isn't an impulse, it's a decision. So, I believe you have my answer.

It's really the time for humanity to take a dump.

alright Syrian, thanks for the info.

He is right. It's just a habit because you're not doing it intentionally.

Cutting, self harming, etc it's intentional as a way or releasing. You're not doing that. It's just a habit and a really normal one actually.

Little white flowers will never awaken you, not when the cold depths have all but overtaken you.

Dearest, The days are all so long,
and in the shadows I spend them all.
My heart and I long for slumber.
Slumber I'm caressing you, I bless your touch, I lust for you.
Slumber you are not a dream, Not as much as you seem.
- Joao <3

thats reassuring!

Yeah the only way i got myself to stop for the most part, is that I'm a chick and don't want my hands to look even more un girly then they are already. i need nails for a ring to look good on my finger someday hah xD

might not work for you so well though

Little white flowers will never awaken you, not when the cold depths have all but overtaken you.

Dearest, The days are all so long,
and in the shadows I spend them all.
My heart and I long for slumber.
Slumber I'm caressing you, I bless your touch, I lust for you.
Slumber you are not a dream, Not as much as you seem.
- Joao <3