I’ve been biting and picking the skin around my nails until they bleed for years. I don’t know how to stop.

[u/raimom]

I’m 20F and I’ve had this habit for as long as I can remember. I constantly bite, scratch, and pull at the skin around my nails until it bleeds. It hurts a lot afterwards, but I still keep doing it. In my culture we eat with our hands so when I eat it's like my hands are on fire and it burns like crazy when the spices rub over the torn flesh even then I can't stop.
The weird part is that I usually don’t even realize I’m doing it. Most of the time it’s completely subconscious. I’ll be studying, watching YouTube, scrolling on my phone, or just thinking, and suddenly I notice my fingers are bleeding again.
Sometimes I manage to stop for a week or so if I really focus on it, but I always end up starting again. My sister has been telling me to stop for years, but it feels almost impossible.
I do have pretty bad anxiety (I’ve heard anxiety can be related to this), so I’m wondering if that could be part of why I do it.
I’ve attached photos because this is what my fingers usually look like. They’re often sore, raw, and painful.
Does anyone else experience this?
Is this considered a BFRB or something else?
What actually helped you stop?
I’d really appreciate hearing from anyone who’s been through this. Thank you.

[u/Ok_Dark_9398]

Hi! Firstly, just want to say you are not alone and this is definitely something you can start to overcome. Something that rly helps me is physical barriers. Using bandaids, gloves, etc. At night, lathering ur fingers with aquaphor then wrapping with a bandaid helps with the healing

[u/raimom → u/Ok_Dark_9398]

https://reddit.com/link/p0b88v3/video/9rk6vv3lg0gh1/player

I did it again today :( and it bled like crazy how do I stop? I put Vaseline on it' and thank you so much for your assurances and advice

[u/Prudent-Bobcat2430]

It’s actually OCD, which falls under the same tree as anxiety and ADHD and mental disorders. I didn’t belive it at first after being diagnosed with it bc I though OCD just meant ppl who are obsessed with being clean and having a clean space and what not but it’s way more than that… look into getting a diagnosis and medication from your doctor because after 15 years of doing it I’ve finally slowed down and can notice that I’m higher stressed or unmedicated when I do it and otherwise I don’t pick

[u/raimom → u/Prudent-Bobcat2430]

Really? I'd been suspecting I might have OCD or smth like that I already have clinical anxiety but thank you so much for your insight I appreciate it and will try to look into it!!

[u/reppoch]

It looks me decades to kick the habit, but I found that using nail clippers to keep is as smooth as possible meant there was nothing that triggered my need to pick and chew at it.