My poor fingers show that I have anxiety

[yeahilovecats]

Hi friends, I was wondering if anyone else picks the skin around their fingernails when they are stressed/anxious? If so, how do you manage that? How do you stop the bad habit?

I have stress from work (shift work and studying) but I’ve realised in the last couple of years that I have difficulty in social situations, and this bad habit of mine certainly isn’t doing me any favours. Any help would be much appreciated!

J

[Summer Rose]

Hi and welcome to bb.

Thank you for sharing your story. My daughter has anxiety and OCD and she has the same habit. Like you, she struggles to stop.

One of the strategies she uses is to keep a small ball of blu tac in her pocket or pencil case at uni. Instead of destroying the skin around her fingers, she fiddles with the blu tac.

Hope this helps. Kind thoughts to you

[44Max44]

I do this all of the time, either I'm chewing my nails or picking at the skin around them. I've been like for as long as I remember.

What helps for me is having something to fidget with whether it's an actual fidget toy or just something like a magnet, necklace, stress ball, etc.

[yeahilovecats]

Thank you 44Max44 and Summer Rose for the ideas. I've purchased a couple of stress balls so I'll see how they go. Wish I'd thought of blu-tac!