Get back long strong nails

Hypnotherapy is very effective at ending Nail Biting. This is one of the standard hypnotherapy treatments. About ten percent of adults bite their nails. Nail biting is a generalised response to environmental stress and so needs a generalised therapy. This consists of rebuilding the client's belief systems and convincing the inner mind of its ability to overcome a long standing habit. Most people can stop biting finger nails after one hypnosis session.

 

RATIONALE

The fingernail biting habit is a distraction behaviour originally created as a response to stress. The treatment does not concern itself with identifying the original reason for the stress: it is effective without looking into the past. There is little or no psychological aspect to nail biting. It is simply a motor procedure that has gone out of control.

PROCEDURE

The treatment strategy consists of interlocking approaches. The exact sequence and content depends on the particular client but the general pattern is as follows:

 

Behaviour Substitution

There is a physical component to nail biting that needs to be dealt with. The client is taught a simple hand behaviour to use anytime the feeling associated with nail biting arises. The substitute behaviour replaces the physical actions of biting or chewing until the biting behaviour is replaced and dies away. The subsitute behaviour includes a mental exercise that ties in with the hypnotic visualisations.

 

Visualisation

Under hypnosis the client visualises themselves with strong long nails and are guided through a series of visualisations where they are using their hands to point to things in company, are picking at a roll of sticky tape, are picking up coins, can see themselves with beautiful nails. The purpose of this is to instill the belief that they can have long nails, that they deserve long nails, that they need long nails. It plants a firm image into the subconscious of what nails should look like and feel like.

Reconnection

A separate series of suggestions then connects their memory back to the time when they did have long nails, reminds them that long nails are natural and normal for them. The purpose of this is to reactivate dormant resources.

Future pacing

This process engages the client's imagination in situations where they would normally be embarassed by their nails. The situation is described but in the visualisation the client has perfect nails and uses the nails naturally and gets rewarded by admiring looks, remarks and tactile rewards. The purpose of this is to rebuild their self esteem with respect to their nails.

Post Hypnotic Suggestion

The hypnotist then creates one or more strong post hypnotic suggestions. The exact wording will depend on the client's behaviour, but will be along the lines of "every time your hand approaches your mouth you will feel an irresistable force pushing that hand away". The purpose of this is to prevent reactivation of the purely muscular behaviour under stress, the habit part.

Direct suggestion

The session finishes with a battery of direct suggestions. The purpose of these is alter the client's inner beliefs about themselves and their own ability to end the nail biting.

Reorientation

The session ends with suggestions of having made a major decision to stop and of feeling good about this. A final post hypnotic suggestion links some physical manifestation as a trigger and reminder of the new behaviour.

 

FOLLOW UP

In many instances the finger nail biting is a symptom of a wider problem such as anxiety. It is often useful to consider using hypnosis to remove that wider problem.

 

• Read an End Nail Biting Script

 

• Make an Appointment