Cheek biting and other destructive stims

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Hi all, I don't know if this is the right section or not, but I was wondering if anyone had any tips on how to stop cheek and lip biting. I've really been doing some damage to my mouth lately and I don't think it's healthy.

It's a bad habit (definitely a sort of stim) that started years ago and seems to only be getting worse as I get older. It happens more frequently when I'm nervous, but it also happens when I'm thinking or lost in thought. Most of the time I don't realize that I'm doing it unless it's pointed out to me. Pain doesn't seem to be a reliable deterrent.

Sometimes I'll have a few good days when I manage to redirect the stim and do something else, like leg bouncing, pacing, etc... but then I'll go right back into old habits again. It's very frustrating because I would like to stop, but I don't know how.

Has anyone had any luck with changing these sorts of self-harming behaviors?

For the lip-biting, you can try putting something bitter on your lips. :P
I used to lick my lips ever few seconds, until my lips got so dry that they were bleeding. I don't remember how I stopped. I think it was a combination of my mom constantly telling me to stop, my lips hurting ever time I did it, and being made fun of at school because of it.

That's all the advice I have...

This may have its own flaws, but since the behaviour you want to redirect involves your teeth - adopt a new habit that "ties them up". Since you presumably don't want to eat constantly, start chewing gum. If you're chewing on gum, that should presumably keep your teeth too busy to chew on you instead.

Depending on how often you get sick of the lack of flavour and replace it, that might get a bit expensive, and it isn't the greatest for your teeth. But you could try sugarless gum. Even I find xylitol (sp?) a bearable sugar substitute, at least with wintergreen.

No real help to offer, but I am sympathetic.

For years I have been chewing my fingers. They have calluses on all the knuckles. Like you, I do it when I am nervous, and also when I am lost in thought. For a long time I didn't even realise I was doing it, and I thought the calluses must have come from something else. Then one day I was gazing at the computer screen and realised that I had a finger in my mouth, and I was chomping on it. Yeah, stimming.

I used to chew my fingernails as a child. And when I managed to get out of that habit, I chewed my pens. Now that I spend more time typing than writing with a pen, I must have begun chewing my fingers without noticing. At least I don't chew the keyboard!

Chewing gum would be the obvious recommendation.

I have a nail biting issue, and I bite my lips when I'm thinking (which is all the time). I don't bite my nails as much as I used to, because I do it when I'm nervous.

I'm guilty of finger and lip biting. :\