A member asked:

I have a habit of pushing either other fingernails or edges under my thumb nails. it usually gets worse when my anxiety gets worse, but now its getting worse even without anxiety. ive looked into nail tics and none of them seem to discuss it?

2 doctors weighed in across 2 answers

Habits and tics: There is no magic medicine nor a simple way of stopping habits or tics. If the only problem is messing with the thumbnails, that is probably best fixed by covering the thumbnails to see if the habit will fade over a few months. Band-Aid brand of flexible fabric bandages are good because they stick well but are not excessively sticky, and they flex to fit thumbs. One can try different sizes.

Answered 2/28/2020

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Get counseling: PCP good resource for referral to a psychologist who could work with you behaviorally, there are a number of cognitive behavioral approaches that might help. Competing behaviors might be helpful, find something else specific to do with your hands instead. Best wishes

Answered 3/4/2020

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