Onychophagia is the medical term for nail-biting. It is classified as an impulse control disorder, which means that those who suffer from it cannot control the urge to bite their nails.
Onychophagia, or onychophagy, is considered a pathological oral habit and grooming disorder characterized by chronic, seemingly uncontrollable nail-biting that is destructive to fingernails and the surrounding tissue.
Along with some other related behaviors such as lip biting or cheek chewing, onychophagia is classified in the DSM-5 as “body-focused repetitive behavior disorder,” which falls under “Other Specified Obsessive-Compulsive and Related Disorders.” Professional treatment, when necessary, focuses on both the physical and psychological factors involved in nail-biting.
There may be a genetic link to onychophagia; some people appear to have an inherited tendency toward developing BFRBs, as well as higher-than-average rates of mood and anxiety disorders in immediate family members. Nail-biting is frequently associated with anxiety, because the act of chewing on nails reportedly relieves stress, tension, or boredom. People who habitually bite their nails often report that they do so when they feel nervous, bored, lonely, or even hungry. Nail-biting can also be a habit transferred from earlier thumb or finger sucking. While nail-biting can occur without symptoms of another psychiatric condition, it can be associated with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), oppositional defiant disorder, separation anxiety, enuresis, tic disorder, and other mental health issues.
Credit : Psychology Today
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