A nail-biting hobbit tries to kick his habit

Publish date: 2024-05-23

Elijah Wood, star of the Lord of the Rings trilogy, has made a New Year resolution to stop biting his nails, because he hates seeing his chewed-up fingers on screen. The 23-year-old actor, who plays the hobbit hero Frodo Baggins, made his announcement after watching The Return of the King.

"There are these tight shots of Frodo with the ring and you can see that he has no nails," said Wood, who has chewed his nails since childhood. "They kind of let it go because they thought maybe he was burdened by the ring and maybe he would bite his fingernails."

Wood is not the only one who nibbles. Even the Iron Chancellor, Gordon Brown, is unable to break the habit. Britney Spears is also an inveterate nail biter.

Nail biting is common among children as well as adults. It typically begins between the ages of seven and 10, but occurs more often as children reach adolescence. More boys than girls tend to bite their nails. The result is short, unsightly nails, but some chew until their fingers bleed. Infections may develop, which can cause pain or even loss of the nail.

"Nail biting can be an extremely tough habit to break," explains Dr Peter Hayward, a consultant clinical psychologist at the South London and Maudsley Hospital Trust.

"It is usually related to stress, but it can also be the result of many other factors, such as boredom."

Research suggests nail biting could be picked up after watching a parent or friend biting their nails.

The traditional solution is to apply an unpleasant-tasting substance to the finger tips. Bitter-tasting quinine used to be a popular deterrent and there are now many other nasty but harmless products. Barrier methods can also be useful in the short term. It can help to wear cotton gloves, or apply adhesive bandages to the fingers.

Dr Hayward believes that the best long-term solution is to identify the underlying cause.

"Everyone has different reasons for biting their nails. It is easy to wash off a bitter taste or remove a pair of gloves," he says. Motivation is key, so Elijah Wood is likely to succeed.

"Someone has to want to stop biting their nails. An individual may decide that the short-term gratification of nail biting outweighs the long-term consequences."

Nail biting may be connected with low self-esteem, anxiety or stress at school or work. Dr Hayward uses a variety of methods to boost confidence and alter behaviour patterns. Avoidance of trigger situations can be useful.

If all else fails, hypnotism works for some. Richard Parsons, a clinical hypnotherapist based at Cheltenham Holistic Health Centre, sees many adult patients who have tried everything to break the habit.

"Many of my patients are in positions of power and responsibility and they are fed up with biting their nails," says Mr Parsons. "Nail biting is seen as a sign of weakness and inner turmoil and no one wants to appear to be a nervous wreck."

Hypnotism works, says Mr Parsons, because it influences the subconscious mind, where habits are formed. "I find it works with nine out of 10 of my patients."

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