the tinyblog

As people who know me even kinda well know, I have what I just found out psychologists now call a Body-focused Repetitive Behavior. I don't remember when I first started biting my nails, but now that I'm 30, I feel like I want to stop.

When I was reading today, I was surprised to see the clinical advice (besides drugs):

Therapy for these disorders consists of two parts. The first, is Habit Reversal Training (HRT), a four-step process which teaches you awareness of your habits, how to relax, how to breathe and center yourself, and to perform a competing and opposing muscle response. (I have described this technique in a previous issue of TLC's IN TOUCH, in an article on cognitive/behavioral therapy for trich, which I'm sure you can get copies of.) It can be extremely useful if practiced daily and stubbornly, as it must become as automatic as the habit you are aiming to eliminate. These are stubborn problems for two reasons. First, you have probably rehearsed the unwanted behaviors hundreds or even thousands of times. It is important to accept that they will not simply be overcome in a few days or weeks. Second, you are fighting the fact that they feel good to do, and provide much short range satisfaction and either stimulation or soothing. It takes time and a good deal of effort to master, but I believe it is worth it. Research shows it to be an effective technique. The second part is known as Stimulus Control (SC). Skin picking and nail biting are a complex behaviors, with many different inputs. SC is a behavioral treatment that seeks to help sufferers first identify, and then eliminate, avoid, or change the particular activities, environmental factors, mood states, or circumstances that have become associated with, and that trigger picking or pulling. The goal here, is to consciously control these triggers that lead to the undesirable behaviors, and to create new learned connections between the urges new non-destructive behaviors."

http://www.homestead.com/westsuffolkpsych/SkinPicking.html

Most of the time I'm in this group:

Some do it in an automatic way, as if they are in a trance and not really thinking about what they are doing. Usually, they are involved in some other activity at the same time such as reading, talking on the phone, working at the computer, watching TV, etc.

So I would say about 90% of the time I really just don't even have it in my mind. One time I tried to stop doing it before, and I just couldn't stand the feel of new fingernails, and I would just notice I was doing it.

I feel kinda crazy lately. SPACE MADNESS!!!