My fingers are sore...

[Bullwinkle]

I've got a serious nail-biting problem.. Been doing it
since as long as I can remember (5 years old or less is
when I began..)

What can I do to help myself? The only times I don't bite 'em
is when I'm either A) high on DXM, B) stoned after a joint or
C) high on kava-kava

Generally, I bite most all other times. I've read that
activites such as nail-biting, hair-twiriling, smoking, etc..
Can all be attributed to a serotonin issue.. Is this the case,
and if so, what do you figure I could do?

I tried a Zyban the other day, just to see what it would do. I
ended up feeling very enthusiastic and able to concentrate. I
know that it's bupropion, and that is a Dopamine reuptake
inhibitor.. Perhaps I should start taking L-Tyrosine daily?

I'm already taking Cod Liver Oil, Vitamin C, Vitamin E,
Calcium+Magnesium pills, and Soya Lecithin (twice the
reccommended dose of that). I'm thinking about adding
L-Tyrosine and possibly St. Johns Wort.. You guys see
any problemos with that? I realize we aren't all doctors
or anything, I'm just looking for personal experience,
tips and such.

Thanks!

--
Bullwinkle Jones.

[Bogus Addr]

> I've got a serious nail-biting problem. [...] The only times
> I don't bite 'em is when I'm either A) high on DXM, B)
> stoned after a joint or C) high on kava-kava I tried a Zyban
> the other day, just to see what it would do. I ended up
> feeling very enthusiastic and able to concentrate. I know
> that it's bupropion, and that is a Dopamine reuptake
> inhibitor.

The other three aren't. You listed four different substances
which all affect different receptor systems.

The fact that just about anything that bends your mind has an
effect on the condition suggests to me that psychological
methods might work. There are a bunch of DIY
operant-conditioning techniques you could try; have a look for
the "Behaviorwoman" comic-strip-format textbook first
published in the 1970s, it had good descriptions of these.

========> Email to "jc" at this site; email to "bogus" will
========> bounce. <========
Jack Campin: 11 Third Street, Newtongrange, Midlothian EH22
4PU; 0131 6604760 http://www.purr.demon.co.uk/purrhome.html
food intolerance data and recipes, freeware logic fonts for
the Macintosh, and Scots traditional music resources

[Professor]

Hey Bullwinkle, is the solution worse than the problem? Maybe
you could wear some very light gloves while inside your house,
or use nail-clippers twice a week so they are always too short
to bite. Taking a pill to stop nail-biting just seems extreme
unless the pill has fun side-effects.

"Bullwinkle Jones" <bullwinkle_01_01@hotmail.com> wrote in
message
news:<Unvo9.52290$qB3.2462619@news0.telusplanet.net>...
> I've got a serious nail-biting problem.. Been doing it since
> as long as I can remember (5 years old or less is when I
> began..)
>
> What can I do to help myself? The only times I don't bite
> 'em is when I'm either A) high on DXM, B) stoned after a
> joint or C) high on kava-kava
>
> Generally, I bite most all other times. I've read that
> activites such as nail-biting, hair-twiriling, smoking,
> etc.. Can all be attributed to a serotonin issue.. Is this
> the case, and if so, what do you figure I could do?
>
> I tried a Zyban the other day, just to see what it would do.
> I ended up feeling very enthusiastic and able to
> concentrate. I know that it's bupropion, and that is a
> Dopamine reuptake inhibitor.. Perhaps I should start taking
> L-Tyrosine daily?
>
> I'm already taking Cod Liver Oil, Vitamin C, Vitamin E,
> Calcium+Magnesium pills, and Soya Lecithin (twice the
> reccommended dose of that). I'm thinking about adding
> L-Tyrosine and possibly St. Johns Wort.. You guys see any
> problemos with that? I realize we aren't all doctors or
> anything, I'm just looking for personal experience, tips
> and such.
>
> Thanks!

[Somebodyel]

On Tue, 08 Oct 2002 07:00:04 +0000, Bullwinkle Jones wrote:

> I've got a serious nail-biting problem.. Been doing it since
> as long as I can remember (5 years old or less is when I
> began..)
>
> What can I do to help myself? The only times I don't bite
> 'em is when I'm either A) high on DXM, B) stoned after a
> joint or C) high on kava-kava
>
> Generally, I bite most all other times. I've read that
> activites such as nail-biting, hair-twiriling, smoking,
> etc.. Can all be attributed to a serotonin issue.. Is this
> the case, and if so, what do you figure I could do?
>
> I tried a Zyban the other day, just to see what it would do.
> I ended up feeling very enthusiastic and able to
> concentrate. I know that it's bupropion, and that is a
> Dopamine reuptake inhibitor.. Perhaps I should start taking
> L-Tyrosine daily?
>
> I'm already taking Cod Liver Oil, Vitamin C, Vitamin E,
> Calcium+Magnesium pills, and Soya Lecithin (twice the
> reccommended dose of that). I'm thinking about adding
> L-Tyrosine and possibly St. Johns Wort.. You guys see any
> problemos with that? I realize we aren't all doctors or
> anything, I'm just looking for personal experience, tips
> and such.
>
> Thanks!
>
> --
> Bullwinkle Jones.

serotonin issue? elevated serotonin is associated with states
of anxiety and lowered serotonin is associated with
depression. don't believe everything you read though. the
scientists don't know what serotonin's function truly is in
relation to all the other just as important mood influencing
neurotransmitters.

i guess if you want to take pills to stop biting your nails
that's your choice.. seems a bit strange though.

i take l-tyrosine.. usually 2-4g per day.. in combination with
l-phenylalanine and selegeline.. i still bite my nails. when i
used to take triple the average dose of st. john's wort i
still bit my nails. on dxm i try to avoid it because i'm
afraid i might bite my finger off and not notice it..

i think you should just uh.. stop biting your nails. resorting
to a pharmacological solution to such a problem is ridiculous.

[Reach The]

"somebodyelse" <none@ewrnwer.com> a écrit dans le message de
news: pan.2002.10.08.19.06.53.78843@ewrnwer.com...
> On Tue, 08 Oct 2002 07:00:04 +0000, Bullwinkle Jones wrote:
>
> > I've got a serious nail-biting problem.. Been doing it
> > since as long as
I
> > can remember (5 years old or less is when I began..)
> >
> > What can I do to help myself? The only times I don't bite
> > 'em is when
I'm
> > either A) high on DXM, B) stoned after a joint or C) high
> > on kava-kava
> >
> > Generally, I bite most all other times. I've read that
> > activites such
as
> > nail-biting, hair-twiriling, smoking, etc.. Can all be
> > attributed to a serotonin issue.. Is this the case, and if
> > so, what do you figure I
could
> > do?
> >
> > I tried a Zyban the other day, just to see what it would
> > do. I ended up feeling very enthusiastic and able to
> > concentrate. I know that it's bupropion, and that is a
> > Dopamine reuptake inhibitor.. Perhaps I should start
> > taking L-Tyrosine daily?
> >
> > I'm already taking Cod Liver Oil, Vitamin C, Vitamin E,
Calcium+Magnesium
> > pills, and Soya Lecithin (twice the reccommended dose of
> > that). I'm thinking about adding L-Tyrosine and possibly
> > St. Johns Wort.. You guys
see
> > any problemos with that? I realize we aren't all doctors
> > or anything,
I'm
> > just looking for personal experience, tips and such.
> >
> > Thanks!
> >
> > --
> > Bullwinkle Jones.
>
> serotonin issue? elevated serotonin is associated with
> states of anxiety and lowered serotonin is associated with
> depression. don't believe everything you read though. the
> scientists don't know what serotonin's function truly is in
> relation to all the other just as important mood influencing
> neurotransmitters.
>
> i guess if you want to take pills to stop biting your nails
> that's your choice.. seems a bit strange though.
>
> i take l-tyrosine.. usually 2-4g per day.. in combination
> with l-phenylalanine and selegeline.. i still bite my nails.
> when i used to take triple the average dose of st. john's
> wort i still bit my nails. on dxm i try to avoid it because
> i'm afraid i might bite my finger off and not notice it..
>
> i think you should just uh.. stop biting your nails.
> resorting to a pharmacological solution to such a problem is
> ridiculous.
>

I have around the same problem but with cracking joints, i
crack my hand joints pretty much all the time compulsively and
without noticing it sometimes, and i rarely but did it to the
point of my fingers and wrist being soar. I think this is
related to my anxiety problem that i have since 3 years
without doing anything to stop it that i was never really
aware of, due to ADD that is also untreated since childhood,
but i got aware of all my internal world when i was doing dxm
and it showed me how fucked up i was, unfortunately, and I
realized all those obvious problems about myself that I never
noticed before, even if some doctor had told me i had add and
anxiety problems i would never have believed him back then, i
was extremely stubborn before all those drugs i did. And if
you guys realized how much i crack my joints you'd understand
easily i've got some kind of problem, pot used to help but now
it makes it worse. I really wonder if I should try to get some
adderall, i dont want anything for anxiety as it would be
addicting benzos, could my add being cured get rid of the
anxiety ? I think it would, having my energy concentrated and
and stop being so much in my thoughts all day long i wouldn't
be so worried.

[Frank Mart]

Probably you are suffering from a neurosis (i.e. unresolved
conflicts). The symptoms you mention are typical signs, and
warrant a visit to a doctor or counsellor, or even a church
minister. Any medication prescribed would be tailored for
you, and probably given together with advice to you and
your family. The type and dosage of any drug is best left
to experts.

"Bullwinkle Jones" <bullwinkle_01_01@hotmail.com> wrote in
message news:Unvo9.52290$qB3.2462619@news0.telusplanet.net...
| I've got a serious nail-biting problem.. Been doing
it since as long as I
| can remember (5 years old or less is when I began..)
|
| What can I do to help myself? The only times I don't
bite 'em is when I'm
| either A) high on DXM, B) stoned after a joint or C)
high on kava-kava
|
| Generally, I bite most all other times. I've read
that activites such as
| nail-biting, hair-twiriling, smoking, etc.. Can all
be attributed to a
| serotonin issue.. Is this the case, and if so, what
do you figure I could
| do?
|
| I tried a Zyban the other day, just to see what it
would do. I ended up
| feeling very enthusiastic and able to concentrate. I
know that it's
| bupropion, and that is a Dopamine reuptake
inhibitor.. Perhaps I should
| start taking L-Tyrosine daily?
|
| I'm already taking Cod Liver Oil, Vitamin C, Vitamin
E, Calcium+Magnesium
| pills, and Soya Lecithin (twice the reccommended dose
of that). I'm
| thinking about adding L-Tyrosine and possibly St.
Johns Wort.. You guys see
| any problemos with that? I realize we aren't all
doctors or anything, I'm
| just looking for personal experience, tips and such.
|
| Thanks!
|
| --
| Bullwinkle Jones.
|
|

[!Social]

Oh man, I can sympathize with you here; I bit my nails since I
was a kid up til I was about 21 and then abrubtly stopped. Of
course after a particularly difficult point in my life about 4
years later I started up again but more severly. This time I
didn't just bite my nails, I bit the skin around my fingers
and just about everything else on my hand. About a month ago I
again stopped rather abrubtly and my nails are getting
girlishly long again.

The trick for me : meditation. You bite your nails out of
anxiety. Just learn to relax yourself and calm your mind.

Drugs may also help as you said but I've never tried them (not
prescription drugs anyhow). Drugs + relaxation/meditation
should be most effective.

[Klmok]

On Tue, 08 Oct 2002 07:00:04 GMT, "Bullwinkle Jones"
<bullwinkle_01_01@hotmail.com> wrote:

>I've got a serious nail-biting problem.. Been doing it
>since as long as I can remember (5 years old or less is
>when I began..)
>

I'm 60. Been biting my fingernails since childhood. Its a lot
easier to admit the problem than trying to make it go away.
Nobody sneers at or teases nail biters anymore. My adult son
has a even worse problem. He bites his toenails too. Our nail
biting hasn't affected our social or work lives.

Anyway this is my take. I have Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. One
of the markers is swollen fingertips. This causes a barely
perceptible pressure of the flesh at the edges of the
fingernails. Biting the fingernails and the flesh at those
edges relieves the tingling.

Swollen fingertips is a recent finding but is not diagnostic
for CFS nor is there a drug treatment for it. It was first
noticed by the Ontario Provincial Police that did a study on
criminals with faint fingerprints and made the association
with CFS. You probably feel a constant tingling sensation on
your fingertips. Its hard to distinguish between two sharp
points on your fingertip (poor point resolution.) You probably
find it painful to put your fingers on the fret of a guitar
let alone pluck the strings.

Now that I have given you a new problem to think about you'll
probably think less about your fingernail stubs.