Nail biting poll

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I was thinking about my nail biting and googled "nail biting". I was only slighted surprised that ASD wasn't listed as conditions associated with nail biting. Oh right, autism is still dirty word. They aren't concerned that someone will conclude "I bite my nails, I must have OCD". But they wouldn't want anyone to think they might be ASD. OK, that's enough ranting for now.

The overall prevalence of adults who regularly bite nails is 20%. I think we might be a bit higher than that.

I used to bite my nails as a kid all the time. After having braces I don't do it anymore, though.

Cant answer pole as I have not been assessed.

I used to be always biting my nails as a kid during stressful times but then I was told off many times so I stopped. I would then rub my fingernails into my skin and cause skin to bleed etc.

I used to when I was a child. Apparently it's fairly common (30-60%?) in kids, not so much in adults (10%?). So I'm normal, it seems.

I actually have always hated the feeling of biting my nails.

Most things won't include autism when you look them up, because not everything is an "Aspie thing".

I bite my nails, always have done.

Nail biting is several kinds of disgusting ...to me. But to each his own.

I went through a phase of nail biting -tried to force myself to acquire the habit...so I wouldnt have to buy nail clippers. Because some friend did it. Would bit his nails so short that he never had to clip them.

Couldnt deal with it. Cant even deal with listing the reasons- so gross. Went back to nail clippers.

Yes, I bite my nails but, that's the least of it. I also bite the cuticles and the skin around the nails. Yeah, I know it's gross but am getting into details in the event that someone sees their behavior. Anyway, the skin all around my nails is callused really badly from this habit. So much so that when I tried to stop it about nine months ago for the first time in my life, I ran into a couple of problems.

First, the calluses get so thick that the nail tip ends up growing into the callus. The second problem was trying to use my cell phone. Apparently, the phone recognizes that you're tapping the screen not from the pressure but due to the temperature of our bodies through the fingertips. Calluses are dead skin; there's no blood flowing just under the surface so there is no recognition by the phone that I'm tapping it. I had to start answer my phone with various other parts of me (like my nose). Eventually I gave up but five days ago I talked to my doctor about it and he's got me filing the calluses down every day as I let them grow back this time.

I have always picked them. Biting them is gross and clippers are unnecessary.

I'll bite my nails if I break one and there's a jagged bit. Just so it won't snag on things until I can sort it out properly.

I used to bite the skin either side of my nails - the "corners" - if I was stressed. I don't know why really. I don't do it so much now, though every so often I find myself doing it without thinking. I'm guessing that's a neatness / control thing?

As a child and even as a teenager, yes.


But later than that, no.
Yet as of now... I can't.

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I have bitten my nails down to the point where they are rather surprisingly short. And despite that I still do so.

I am awaiting diagnosis, so I can't answer the poll.

As a side note, I rarely need to trim my fingernails. Usually they naturally start to break just before they get long enough to be annoying. Usually starting with just a little break at one side, which I typically notice, and then I slowly and carefully tear it, to keep it from tearing too far down anywhere. Then I use a nail on my other hand to smooth the edge. I can’t stand nail filing. But I do have to trim my toenails.

I get comments on how nice my nails look, and have even been asked if they’re real, which I find very amusing since I do absolutely nothing with them, including trimming