How to Stop Biting Your Own Fingers: Effective Tips and Strategies
Finger biting (Dermatophagia subtype) byTara Walker
Skin biting (dermatophagia) is a body-focused repetitive behaviour (BFRB) where people feel the urge to bite or chew their skin. It is recognised as a condition by the DSM-5 (the manual used to diagnose conditions) if it severely affects a person’s life, and they have been unable to stop despite trying. Usually, the biting is focused on the fingers and hands. Finger biting can lead to emotional distress and physical damage to a person’s fingers and mouth. Causes and triggers are unique and need to be understood with compassion and care. With the right techniques, individuals can start their recovery journey and gain control over their finger biting.
Understanding Finger Biting
Why Do People Bite Their Fingers?
Finger biting may occur on its own or with other BFRBs like hair-pulling and nail biting. It can also co-occur with conditions like anxiety, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) or body dysmorphic disorder (BDD). Finger biting is a compulsive urge that can be made worse by dry or flakey skin, or any perceived imperfection.
Each person who experiences finger biting will have different reasons for doing so. Some people will do it unconsciously, while others may be hyper-focused. Common reasons for finger biting include;
- Anxiety, stress and tension
- Sensory or sedentary stimulation
- Seeking comfort or to self-soothe
Can Finger Biting be Harmful?
Finger biting is generally harmless but cause some physical problems;
- Pain
- Damage to fingers
- Thickening of the skin that is bitten repetitively
- Bleeding
- Skin infections
- Scarring
- Mouth and tooth damage
- Stomach or intestinal infections
It can also cause a variety of psychological problems;
- Built up tension before biting
- Feelings of shame, embarrassment, and guilt
- Worries that other people will see the biting or the effects of it, and judge them
- Social distress or isolation, due to shame or an overwhelming urge to bite
- Preoccupation with thinking about biting, taking up a significant amount of time and energy
Effective Strategies to Stop Finger Biting
The first step to any BFRB recovery is acceptance. There is a reason people stand up in Alcoholics Anonymous and say “I am an alcoholic”. This is the stage where you say, okay, this behaviour is a problem and I AM NOT THE PROBLEM. That can be hard to accept but you’re human and let’s get real – biting your fingers doesn’t hurt anyone else – stop trying to stuff it all down and trust someone to help. Make an appointment now.
Journaling is a good tip. Keep a diary and focus on the times that you don’t bite as well as the times that you do. Consider what was happening each time. Were you relaxed or stressed? Did you realise you were doing it or were not doing it? Had you just experienced something (for example a social situation or presentation at work or school), or were about to? Use this knowledge to give you power over the urge to bite, by preparing for those situations with a few techniques you have tried and tested.
Replace finger biting with an alternative coping mechanism
Try keeping your hands busy with a stress ball or fidget spinner. Perhaps keeping your mouth busy will work better for you, using sugar-free gum or chewing necklaces.
Breathing techniques
Breathing techniques such as meditation and box breathing (breathe in for four seconds, hold for four seconds, out for four seconds and hold again for four seconds) have calming effects and may help you ride out the urge to bite.
Seek professional help
If you feel that your finger biting is impacting your day-to-day life and you need help to overcome it, we recommend talking to a professional. Our coaches can talk you through the different therapy options, and make a plan that you feel comfortable with. Hypnotherapy and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) are both effective ways to break habits like finger biting, and our coaches are trained in both. Make an appointment to talk to us today and we can start you on your recovery journey.
Finger biting is a BFRB that causes physical and psychological distress, where individuals can experience pain, bleeding, infection and scarring. Emotionally it can cause anxiety, shame, and impact social activities. Everyone has unique reasons and triggers for biting their fingers and therefore needs a unique approach to their recovery. Some common causes are stress, anxiety, to self-soothe or from over- or under-stimulation. Self-led techniques such as breathing exercises, and coach-led therapies such as hypnotherapy and ACT, can guide you on your recovery journey.
BFRBs tend to happen to people who don’t find asking for help easy. We get it because we’ve got it … and honestly, the pay-off of being free of biting your own fingers will make it well worth taking the plunge.
Tara Walker